Fish Burger with Tartare Slaw

The ultimate homemade fish burger — crispy battered snapper, tangy tartare slaw and a toasted brioche bun. Better than any takeaway and on the table in under an hour. 

Prep time: 20 minutes  
Cook time: 25 minutes  
Serves: 4 

Tartare Sauce 

  • 1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise 

  • 2 tbsp capers, finely chopped 

  • 2 tbsp dill pickles, finely chopped 

  • 1 eschalot, finely chopped 

  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped 

  • Juice of ½ lemon 

  • 1 tsp flaked sea salt 

  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper 

Batter 

  • ½ cup (150g) plain flour, plus ½ cup extra for dusting 

  • ¼ cup (30g) cornflour 

  • 25g rice flour 

  • 1 tsp baking powder 

  • 1 tsp flaked sea salt 

  • ½ tsp garlic powder 

  • 1 cup cold sparkling water 

  • 2–3 cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying 

To Serve 

  • 500g snapper fillets, cut into 4 even portions 

  • ¼ small green cabbage, finely shaved 

  • 4 brioche buns, halved 

  • ½ tbsp unsalted butter, softened 

  • ½ head oak leaf lettuce, leaves separated 

Method: 

  1. Place all the tartare sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cornflour, rice flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Add the sparkling water and whisk until a smooth batter forms. If the batter is too thick, add cold sparkling water 1 tbsp at a time. Keep cold. 

  1. Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan or wok over medium–high heat until it reaches 180°C–190°C on a cooking thermometer. 

  1. Pat the snapper portions dry with paper towel. Dust lightly in the extra plain flour and shake off any excess. 

  1. Working one piece at a time, dip the fish into the batter, letting the excess drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for 4–5 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Do not overcrowd the pan — cook in batches if needed. 

  1. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. Continue with the remaining fish. 

  1. Combine the shaved cabbage with 3 tbsp of the tartare sauce in a bowl and toss well to coat. 

  1. Spread the cut sides of the brioche buns with butter. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and toast the buns butter-side down for 40–60 seconds until golden. 

  1. Spread tartare sauce generously on both sides of each toasted bun. Layer with oak leaf lettuce, top with the crispy fish and finish with a generous spoonful of tartare slaw. Serve immediately. 

Note:

For the crispiest batter, make sure your sparkling water is ice-cold and your oil is up to temperature before frying. A cooking thermometer takes the guesswork out — oil that's too cool will make the batter greasy, too hot and it'll brown before the fish is cooked through. 

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Ingredients for Fish Burger with Tartare Slaw