CUZ'S FISH BURGERS WITH BAJAN MAYO

Cuz's Fish Burgers with Bajan Mayo image

I've been obsessed with burgers since my first visit to the United States, and I look for them everywhere. This one, a fish burger with cheese and egg, is my current favorite. Every time I make it, I'm transported back to Barbados --- to Cuz's stand in the parking lot between my hotel and the beach where I first had this. There was a line out the door, as people waited while the guy griddled his daily catch and slapped the fillets onto a bun with a piece of cheese and an egg. So fresh. So delicious. I took my fish burger out to the beach and ate it there. And went back the next day for another.

Provided by Marcus Samuelsson

Time 5h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 32

Ingredients

1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Colman's dry mustard
2 pinches sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon wasabi paste
4 drops sesame oil
4 dashes Tabasco or other hot sauce
Four 4-ounce skinless fish fillets (halibut, mahimahi, swordfish, and snapper are all good choices)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns of choice, split
4 slices Cheddar cheese
1 tomato, thinly sliced
4 slices red onion
4 romaine lettuce leaves
About 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade Pickled Cabbage (recipe follows)
4 large eggs, prepared over easy (optional)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, one side slit open with the tip of a knife
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 head red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

Steps:

Make the Bajan Mayo: Whisk the egg yolk, salt, mustard, and sugar together in a glass bowl. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, and Tabasco in a measuring cup.
Whisk half the liquid into the yolk. Then begin whisking in the oil, a few drops at a time, until the mayo begins to emulsify. Continue whisking in the oil -- you can add it more quickly now -- until the mayo is very thick. Add the rest of the liquid and whisk until well combined. Cover and refrigerate. It will keep for about 1 week.
Make the Glaze: Stir all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
Make the Burgers: Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat.
Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Spoon the vegetable oil into the hot pan. Add the fish, brush the top with the glaze, and sear for 3 minutes. Turn the fish over, paint it with glaze, and sear until the fish feels firm when you prod it, about 3 minutes.
To assemble the burgers, spread a thin layer of the Bajan mayo on both sides of the buns. To each, add a cooked fillet, a slice of Cheddar cheese, a piece of tomato, a slice of onion, a lettuce leaf, and a tablespoon or so of the pickled cabbage. Top with an over-easy egg if desired.
Bring the vinegar, lime juice, water, sugar, bay leaf, garlic, pepper, and thyme to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Put the cabbage in a large bowl and pour the boiling pickling solution over it. Cover with plastic and set a plate on top to keep the cabbage submerged. Let sit for 2 hours. Pack into 1-pint jars and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. The cabbage will keep for up to 1 month. Makes about 10 cups.