I grew up as an Air Force kid, and lived lots of places, including both the west coast (southern CA) and the east coast (FL). But it wasn't until I went to college at Vassar,in Poughkeepsie, New York, that I remember encountering Cape Cod® potato chips, and fell completely in love, from that first crispy bite. No--it's more than just crispy. Kettle cooked chips are substantial, with serious crunch, and, at least with Cape Cod® potato chips, fabulous flavor. I live out west now, in the Phoenix area, and I was so excited to learn that Cape Cod® kettle chips are now available in retail stores in my area, and have the chance to work with the company.
In honor of Cape Cod® Potato Chips coming to the west, I wanted to make an amazing sandwich that would be a fun blend of east and west coast seafood traditions. I decided to make an Atlantic cod sandwich that would taste fabulous with my favorite salt and vinegar potato chips, but add in some classic west coast flavors, inspired by fish tacos. Yes, fish tacos are a thing, people on the east coast. An amazingly delicious thing. I know it sounds weird, but trust me on this.
The secret to making a truly amazing East Meets West Coast Cod Sandwich is the lime aioli. If you've never had this sublime substance before, your taste buds are in for a treat.
Lime Aioli Recipe:
- 3/4 cup of high quality mayonnaise (preferably homemade mayonnaise)
- 2 T fresh lime juice (about one lime's worth)
- zest of one lime
- one clove of garlic, minced or run through a garlic press.
I'm not even a fan of mayonnaise, usually. I don't put it on my burgers. I do like it on the occasional club sandwich. But it just doesn't float my boat--unless it's homemade. Fabulous mayo is the key to truly astounding aioli. And I'd put lime aioli on anything.
Combine the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, lime zest, and crushed garlic. Mix well, and let rest in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors blend together.
That was easy, right? Now, on to the rest of the sandwich.
Pat the cod filets dry, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let a thin coating of olive oil come to temperature over high heat before adding the fish to the skillet. Do not touch or attempt to move the fish! It will stick at first, but as a luscious golden crust develops, the fish will release from the pan, and be easy to flip over.
Cook the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Thicker pieces of fish take longer to cook than thinner ones, so watch for the center of the fish (you have a good view from the short end of the filet) becomes opaque.
A nice sourdough baguette was the perfect tasty vehicle for my sandwich fillings. The pan fried cod, of course, and shredded cabbage dressed lightly in the lime aioli. Another drizzle of lime aioli over the top of the fish never hurt anyone, either. Holy cow, that stuff is good.
The crunch of the cabbage, the warm, flaky cod, the tang of the aioli, the crusty and flavorful sourdough bread: I have found sandwich nirvana.
And a sandwich that good deserves only the very best side dish. My favorite has always been Sea Salt and Vinegar chips, but all of the Cape Cod® kettle chips I've tasted have been amazing. I especially liked the salt and pepper flavor. If you haven't tried Cape Cod® Potato Chips, now is the time to try them, since they're easily available in local grocery stores on the east coast and west!
I pulled out some long-defunct origami skills to whip up a paper boat for serving the potato chips. My daughter thought that I was the coolest mom EVER for that little trick. She asked for spaghetti in a paper boat for dinner last night. Sorry, kid.
Wouldn't the boats be a fun way to serve chips for a nautical party? It would look especially fabulous made with two-sided scrapbook paper.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cape Cod® Potato Chips.