Local Ocean's Classic Grilled Fish & Chips

Featuring: Rockfish, Lingcod or Halibut

Chef Enrique Sanchez, Local Ocean Dockside Grill & Market, Watch the video

 

Ingredients

Fish

  • 1 1/2 lbs white fish fillet

Breading

  • 2/3 cup Japanese Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt & pepper for seasoning

Egg wash

  • 2 whole eggs
  • 3 tbsp buttermilk

For grilling

  • 1-2 tbsp olive/canola oil for cooking
  • Butter (optional - see note about clarified butter)

To serve (optional)

  • Tartar sauce
  • Lemon wedges
  • Parsley garnish
  • Side of French fries, slaw and/or salad

Instructions

Watch Chef Enrique Sanchez make this dish at Local Ocean.

Fish Buying

Fish and chips typically feature white fish. Here are the three local fish that we serve:

  • Rockfish - available year-round, rockfish is our usual go-to for fish and chips. It’s a sustainable and abundant local species with a mild flavor profile.
  • Lingcod - a local favorite, lingcod has a higher fat content and slightly stronger flavor profile than rockfish. It’s a great choice if you like to “taste the fish” in your fish and chips.
  • Halibut - a relatively small local commercial fishery, you’ll only find fresh Oregon halibut in the summertime, but you can buy frozen Oregon halibut throughout the year.

Prepare the breading

  • Mix the Japanese Panko breadcrumbs and all-purpose flour in a bowl. Season the breading with salt and pepper.

Prepare the egg wash

  • Mix together whole eggs and buttermilk in a bowl. Pour into a shallow dish (pie pans work well) so that you can easily dip the whole fillet into the egg wash.

Bread the fish

  • Prepare a two-step breading station – egg wash, then breading.
  • Working with each portion individually, dip the fish into the egg wash, coating completely (if you are using a shallow container, you may need to turn it over to coat).
  • Drain excess liquid for a moment, then place in the Panko breading.
  • Coat thoroughly, pressing extra breadcrumbs in as necessary. Set aside breaded portions.

Cook the fish

  • Heat an electric griddle or large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  • When it is hot, add cooking oil (at the restaurant, we use a mix of olive & canola oils and combine it with clarified butter - see back for additional instructions+). When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add breaded fish to the pan.
  • Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden + crispy, then flip, repeating on the other side. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
  • Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Local Ocean Tip: Clarified Butter

  • At the restaurant, we use a mix of olive & canola oils and combine it with clarified butter - this gives us a higher smoke point than straight butter, giving us the flavor while being able to cook at a higher heat and get more golden crispy color.
  • To make clarified butter, heat butter over medium heat until it turns to liquid. Strain off the milky foam from the top, then drain slowly, keeping the white solids separate from the golden liquid. Discard the solids. We use a 50/50 mix of clarified butter and oil.