From: Chef Bryan Voltaggio, Lunchbox, Washington, DC. Yield: 1 sandwich.
1 soft sub roll, split and toasted (recipe follows)
2 Tbsp. tartar sauce (recipe follows)
½ cup thinly sliced lettuce
1 catfish fillet, breaded and fried
2 slices yellow cheddar cheese
½ lemon, cut into wedges and deseeded
Hoagie Rolls:
500 grams high-gluten flour
45 grams sugar
12.5 grams salt
100 grams egg yolk
75 grams blended oil
2 grams molasses
18 grams dry yeast
200 grams water
Tartar Sauce:
4 cups mayo
250 grams dill pickles
1 Tbsp. capers
125 grams celery
150 grams fennel
150 grams red onion
10 grams red wine vinegar
6 grams parsley
3 grams tarragon
5 grams fennel
11 grams soy sauce
3 grams black pepper
Fish:
8 trimmed small catfish fillets
2 cups buttermilik
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasonoing
½ tsp. fine sea salt
Breading:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups buttermilk
3 ½ cups ground corn flakes
¼ cup corn meal
For rolls: In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, molasses and sugar. Whisk to combine and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together yolks and oil until smooth. In bowl of a tabletop mixer, combine flour and salt. Mix using the dough hook. Add all wet ingredients into dry, and knead for 10 minutes. Transfer to greased bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Allow to double in size. Portion weight of rolls is 100 grams. Allow dough to proof. Using bench scraper, portion dough into 3.5-oz. pieces. Using palm of hand and clean worktable, roll into uniform spheres. Slowly roll each ball into a 4.5- to 5-inch long log. Place each log, seam-side down, on sheet tray with parchment. Cover with plastic and allow to rise until double in size. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with large flake sea salt. Bake at 350°F for 13 to 15 minutes.
For tartar sauce: Roughly chop all of the vegetables until fine, or use a food processor and pulse until mixture reaches desired consistency. Finely chop the herbs and mix with vegetables. Transfer all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
For breading: In separate bowls, assemble the breading station, with one bowl of flour, one of buttermilk and one with corn flakes and cornmeal. Line a sheet tray with parchment for breaded fish. One at a time, dredge fish pieces in flour, shaking off excess.
Next, dip fish in buttermilk, thoroughly coating before gently shaking off excess. Roll fish pieces in ground cornflakes, gently pressing them into the bowl to flatten fish and coat completely. Shake off excess. Put breaded pieces of fish on baking sheet while continuing to bread the remaining fish pieces.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Fry each piece of fish at 350°F for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer fish to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Cover fish pieces with two slices of cheddar cheese.
For sandwich: Split rolls and toast in a sauté pan with a small amount of butter. Place fish with melted cheese on bottom of the toasted roll; cover with dressed lettuce and squeeze a small lemon wedge over the top. Cover sandwich with top of bun.
