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Fried Flying Fish Cutter

Flying Fish Cutter

A “cutter” is what Bajans call a sandwich on a crusty salt bread roll. Stuffed with crispy fried flying fish and a lick of Bajan pepper sauce, it’s the snack of the Oistins fish fry.

  • Prep 20 min + 20 min seasoning
  • Cook 15 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Anthony Rahayel · Pexels
Served with: Bajan Cucumber Salad ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the cutters

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Season the fish. Wash the fillets with lime juice and water and pat dry. Rub with the Bajan seasoning and salt and let them sit 20 minutes.
  2. Coat. Dip each fillet in the egg, then press into the flour or crumbs to coat both sides.
  3. Fry. Heat ½ inch (1 cm) of oil to 350 °F (175 °C). Fry the fillets 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
  4. Build the cutters. Butter the rolls, add lettuce and tomato, then 2 hot fillets each. Add pepper sauce to taste and mustard if you like.
  5. Serve. Close up the rolls and eat right away with Bajan cucumber salad on the side.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Barbados

Bajan Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad

Cool cucumber sliced thin in lime, salt and a little hot pepper, the same pickle that goes with pudding and souse. It is just right next to fried flying fish.

  • Prep 15 min + 30 min chilling
  • Cook 0 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 large cucumbers
  • ½ small onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1–2 limes, juiced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (or Bajan pepper sauce to taste)
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • ½ cup cold water

How to make it

  1. Slice. Peel the cucumbers in stripes, leaving some green, and slice them very thin.
  2. Make the brine. Stir the lime juice, salt, hot pepper and cold water together in a bowl.
  3. Combine. Add the cucumber, onion and parsley and toss well.
  4. Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors soak in. Serve cold with a slotted spoon.

Photo: Thegreatmutata · CC0

More ways to cook Flying Fish

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Bridgetown, BarbadosBarbados Steamed Flying Fish
Scarborough, Tobago, Trinidad and TobagoTobago Stewed Flying Fish
Deshaies, GuadeloupeGrilled Flying Fish with Sauce Chien