Babysitter food. That’s what we called the frozen entrees my mom would pull from the freezer on nights she and my dad were heading out on the town. Any other evening of the year she made homemade food, but on date nights, supper meant a rotation of TV dinners, corn dogs, and fish sticks. We loved it.
The one holdover into my own house are fish sticks. Indeed, just last week, as I scrambled to pull dinner together before readying myself for an evening with grown ups, I made these Crispy Fish Sliders. I opted for fish fillets over fish sticks because there’s a greater ratio of fish to breadcrumbs. Translation: more fish means more protein and other nutrients. Consider buying the fish in an organic market or specialty one since the choices tend to be lighter in additives and preservatives than conventional supermarket brands.
A pair of these sliders along with a vegetable or salad (or both) is all you need for a simple weeknight supper. Once the fish is in the oven, it takes less than 15 minutes to pull this meal together.
When the sandwiches were assembled and ready, I swiped a bite before the kids showed up at the table. They were good, really good, certainly better than a TV dinner, or corn dog, or ordinary fish stick. And while I was looking forward to my evening out, I would have been perfectly happy sharing a plate of fish sliders with the kids.
I think we’ll be having these again soon.
Fish Sliders with Creamy Caper Dressing
This makes eight little sliders, enough to feed a family of four. Keep in mind, though, that younger kids may only need one slider. Serve with a generous salad or favorite veggie side.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces breaded frozen fish fillets
- 1/3 cup non-fat Greek-style yogurt
- 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon capers, drained
- 2 teaspoons pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 8 slider buns (see notes)
- 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
- Pickled jalapenos, if desired
Instructions
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Bake fish fillets in the oven according to package directions.
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While the fish is baking, by whisking together the the yogurt, mayonnaise, capers, relish, ketchup, and mustard in a small bowl.
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About 2 minutes before the fish is done, put the slider buns in the oven to warm. You don’t want the buns crispy, just soft and warm.
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Set a fish fillet on the bottom half of each slider bun. Slather the top of each fillet with the tartar sauce. Scoop up a bundle of cabbage and press it into the sauce. Add pickled jalapenos, if desired.
Sandwich the buns together and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
If you can't find slider buns, look for hamburger buns and make 4 fish sandwiches instead of 8 sliders.
