If you are planning on catching and grilling yellowtail this spring, I have the perfect grilled yellowtail sandwich just for you. And since most of our yellowtail come from Mexico, I figured I’d put a Mexican twist on this sandwich. How? That’s easy, just add pickled jalapenos, jicama, cilantro, chipotle, Tajin seasoning and more. Plus, the bread is definitely Mexican too, it’s called bolillo (bo-li-jo).
It’s a Mexican favorite leftover from the French occupation.
Why yellowtail? The San Diego from Seaforth Landing just had its first full day of yellowtail fishing at the Coronado Islands. They had 13 yellowtails by their first stop! This past winter has had all the signs of our beloved California current dominating again with multiple storms pelting our coast from the Northwest. This seasonal pattern means current upwellings are pumping vital foods and nutrients to our coastal fisheries. That brings in our favorite sports fish, the yellowtail.
So, book your trips, jump on a boat and go get some yellowtails, then start thinking about grilling yellowtail and making this delicious sandwich.
Grilling Yellowtail For The Perfect Mexican Sandwich
4 Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 Pound yellowtail fillet(s)
- 1 Red onion, sliced
- 2 Tomatoes sliced
- 1 Bundle green onions, sliced
- 1 Bundle cilantro, chopped
- 1 Jicama, peeled and chopped
- 3 Tbsp. of sliced pickled jalapenos
- 2 Tbsp. of pickled jalapeno juice (Mexican market)
- 2 Tbsp. chipotle sauce (Mexican market)
- 1 Lime
- 1 Orange
- Koster salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 Bottle of Tajin (Mexican spice)
- 5 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 4 Bolillos (Mexican bread rolls)
Directions
- Preheat the grill to 500F. Start by seasoning your fillets with a liberal amount of Tajin. Now grill the yellowtail fillets just until the inside of the thickest part of the fillet goes from opaque to white. Usually, 3-4 minutes of cooking on each side. Immediately after cooking and while the fillets are cooling off, squeeze on some lime juice from a half of lime. The lime juice will penetrate the cooked fillets while they are hot. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Now start creating the Mexican flavored mayonnaise by adding the mayonnaise into a medium sized bowl. Then add the green onions and a pinch of salt. Next add the chopped cilantro, sliced jicama, the juice of ½ lime and whole orange, the pickled jalapenos and finally the pickled jalapeno juice. Add a healthy pinch of cracked black pepper and now mix.
- Hand shred the yellowtail fillet(s), and add that to the bowl, then mix. Cut the Mexican bread into halves. Then brush on extra virgin olive oil onto both halves and place in a hot skillet or frying pan. Allow the bread to toast around the edges and then remove.
- Finally, assemble the grilled yellowtail sandwich by first laying down a couple of slices of red onions on the bread followed by 4-5 large dollops of the yellowtail mixture. Then, set 2-3 slices of tomatoes on top with a touch of salt and pepper. And finally, the top bread piece.
- Enjoy!
