Rose Harissa Fish Stick Wrap
Crispy, easy to eat fish sticks are a staple of American food. A little cod, a little tartar sauce, and you’ve got a meal that kids and adults alike can’t wait to get their hands on. But they can move out from this sphere into something more sophisticated.
We dressed our fish sticks up with a coating layered in earthy, aromatic Rose Harissa, and replaced traditional tartar sauce with a complex, tangy-sweet spiced yogurt. We wrapped it with a piece of lavash bread so you can take your fish sticks on the go, but it would also be lovely served as an appetizer with plenty of yogurt sauce for dipping.
1 pound cod or other firm, white-fleshed fish, cleaned and de-scaled
1 cup AP flour, for dredging
1 egg, mixed with 1-2 teaspoons water if necessary
1 Tablespoon Rose Harissa, divided
Panko bread crumbs, for dredging
Vegetable, canola, or other neutral oil for frying
Lavash bread
Lettuce, Pickled Red Onions, Cucumbers
Rose Harissa Spiced Yogurt
1. Trim cod into evenly sized stick, about 3/4 inch across and 3-4 inches long.
2. Put AP flour in a shallow bowl. Mix with two teaspoons of Rose Harissa.
3. Whip egg in a second shallow bowl. If you would like it to be a little thinner, add water in small splashes and whip that to desired consistency. Then mix in remaining one teaspoon of Rose Harissa.
4. Put panko bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl, and set a large tray next to the third bowl.
5. Place some fish sticks in the flour and dredge them on all sides. Then move them into the second bowl and coat with egg wash. Move to the third bowl and coat with panko, then place on the tray. Continue until all the fish is coated.
6. Pour oil into the pan, until there is about 1/2 inch of oil in the pan. Heat until it’s ready to fry—you can test it by tossing a little corner trimmed from an off-size piece of fish into the oil. When it starts to fry, it’s ready to go.
7. Fry sticks in batches, 4-5 minutes per side, until golden all over. Move to a waiting tray lined with paper towels to drain.
8. To assemble, lay out a lavash or other flat bread. Smear with Rose Harissa Spiced Yogurt, then layer in lettuce, cucumbers, cooked fish sticks, and Pickled Red Onions. Wrap with a piece of parchment paper to hold everything together. Put some extra yogurt and some French fries on the side and serve.
