Barramundi Fish & Chips with Tarragon Dijon Sauce

I'm a huge fan of fish and seafood and try to include it in my diet as much as possible. So, if you're going to make an Australian fish dish, then you've got to consider barramundi. Native to northern Australian and  southern Asian waters, it's a firm, white fish packed with nutrients including omega-3s. I found some in the frozen fish section of our local Price Chopper. Each package contains two whole filets, about 6 oz each.

Eating this fish fry, I was transported back to my favorite little beachside cookery in Fremantle, Western Australia, that laid out your options on colorful chalkboard menus... You can see in the photo that it cost AU $3.50 for an order of barramundi fish & chips back then - what a deal. I could almost smell the sea breezes and feel the sand between my toes. Unfortunately, Cate-Mate wasn't able to cook barramundi with me, due to a last-minute conflict that kept her out of the kitchen. But, no worries - she'll definitely return later in the week.

Full disclosure: I was going to make this recipe for barramundi but decided to indulge a "takeaway" meal craving at the last minute. Still, that sauce sounded incredible and I'd bought the herbs, so I made it to accompany my fish fry! It's a cook's privilege, right? And, it was a change from tartar or tommy sauce (we "Yankees" call that ketchup). The freshness of the herbs and tang from the Dijon and sherry paired well with the hint of citrus in the batter and definitely helped cut through the fried taste. For the chips, of course, we opted for malt vinegar - for essentially the same reason.

All in all, a tasty indulgence! Here's how I made this meal:

FISH:
1¾ cup rice flour, divided
¾ cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 2 lemons
½ cup orange-flavored seltzer
1-2 cups of ice (optional)
1 barramundi filet, cut into 3 portions

In a bowl, combine ¾ cup of rice flour, all the regular flour and the salt and pepper. Combine the juices and seltzer in a measuring cup (so you can track how much you needed for the next time). Add the liquids to the flour mixture gradually, removing any lumps. If you're not ready to cook right away, add some ice cubes to the batter and chill it in the fridge till you need it.

Pat the fish pieces dry with a paper towel, then dredge them in the remaining rice flour, so the batter will stick. Dip each piece in the batter and fry them in 375° pre-heated oil. It should take about 3-4 minutes for the fish to cook and the batter to turn deep golden brown.

Drain the excess oil from the fish by putting it on a plate covered with several paper towels. Move them gently; the tempura-style batter is delicate.

SAUCE:
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, minced
1 Tbsp fresh chives, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup sherry
1 tsp cornstarch
½ cup fat-free half-and-half

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the herbs, lemon juice, mustard, sherry and cornstarch. Simmer for a couple minutes, then slowly stir in the cream. Gently reheat the sauce just till it begins to thicken and simmer, and it's ready to enjoy!