Charcoal Grilled Louisiana Pompano with Vietnamese-style Mirliton Slaw (goi thap cam) and Spicy Blue Crab Fritters, Pepper Jelly and Citrus Chili Oil
Ingredients
- Mirliton Slaw
- Raw Sugar - 2 tbs
- lime juice - 4 limes
- fish sauce - 4 tbs
- garlic cloves (minced) - 2
- diced hot pepper - 1 tps
- red bell pepper (julienned) - 1
- yellow bell pepper (julienned) - 1
- medium carrots (julienned) - 2
- Chayote Squash (Mirliton) Julienned - 2
- cilantro (chopped) - 2 tbs
- green onion (diced) - 2 tbs
- Citrus Chili Oil
- Canola Oil - 1 Cup
- Annato Seeds - 2 tbs
- Grated fresh lemon zest - 1 lemon
- Grated Orange Zest - 1 orange
- Green Jalapeno Pepper - 1
- Cilantro Puree
- cilantro - 1 bunch
- Romaine - 4 leaves
- Green Jalapenos - 1
- canola oil - 1/2 cup
- Blue Crab Fritters
- All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
- baking powder - 1 tbs
- Prudhomme's Shrimp Magic seasoning - 1 tbs
- egg (beaten) - 1
- Jalapeno (diced) - 1
- milk - 1/2 cup
- Jumbo lump crabmeat - 1/2 lb
- pepper jelly - 6 tps
- Grilled Pompano
- Pompano 6 oz skin on fillets - 4
- Kosher salt & pepper - to Taste
- Paul Prudhomme's Shrimp Magic - to Taste
- Cooking Spray
- Cilntro Sprigs - garnish
- Thai Basil sprigs - garnish
Instructions
Mirliton Slaw
In a medium bowl, dissolve the sugar in the lime juice and fish sauce. Add the garlic, hot pepper, bell peppers, cilantro and green onion, to the lime juice mixture, stir thoroughly, cover and refrigerate, until chilled, at least 30 minutes. This sauce can be made up to X days in advance(?).
Citrus Chili Oil
Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, remove from heat, then allow to sit for two hours. Strain the chili oil into a small container, discard the solids, then set aside and cover until ready to use.
Cilantro Puree (the second sauce)
Place all ingredient in blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a squeeze bottle and refrigerate.
Blue Crab Fritters
Sift together the dry ingredients. Mix in the egg and diced pepper until incorporated and thin with milk. Add picked crabmeat and gently incorporate it into the batter. Shortly before you’re ready to serve, scoop the batter a teaspoon at a time and and fry in 350 degree oil until golden brown, about three minutes. Check for doneness and toss in warm pepper jelly if serving immediately. Alternatively, you may keep the fritters warm in a 200° oven.
Gently melt the pepper jelly in a small sauce pan or in a coffee mug in a microwave over. Right before serving, toss the fritters with the warm pepper jelly.
Sift together the dry ingredients. Mix in the egg and diced pepper until incorporated and thin with milk. Add picked crabmeat and gently incorporate it into the batter. Shortly before you’re ready to serve, scoop the batter a teaspoon at a time and and fry in 350 degree oil until golden brown, about three minutes. Check for doneness and toss in warm pepper jelly if serving immediately. Alternatively, you may keep the fritters warm in a 200° oven.
Gently melt the pepper jelly in a small sauce pan or in a coffee mug in a microwave over. Right before serving, toss the fritters with the warm pepper jelly.
GRILLED POMPANO
Spray the cold grill with nonstick cooking spray. Spread one layer of coals in the pit. Light the charcoal. When the charcoal is coated in a white ash you're ready to cook.
Season the fish with salt and pepper and a bit of Shrimp Magic if desired. Spray the fish with nonstick spray. Grill the fish skin side down for 2 minutes. Rotate the fish a quarter turn (to make the crosshatch grill marks. Cook for another 2 minutes. Close the top of the grill and cook for about 3 more minutes.
To serve - squeeze most of the liquid out of the slaw and place about half a cup in the center of a warmed plate. Drizzle a tablespoon or so of the cilantro puree around the mirliton slaw and a teaspoon of the chili oil in a circle closer to the rim of the plate. Place the fritters, coated with pepper jelly (3 per plate) close to the slaw and put the fish filet on top skin up. Garnish with cilantro and Thai basil.
