The Lake Erie Monster

For the sauce

½ cup pickle chips

¼ cup coarsely chopped onion

2 tablespoons drained capers

½ teaspoon chopped garlic

2 cups regular or low-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Scant teaspoon finely grated zest plus 1½ teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon dried dill

½ teaspoon sugar

2 medium jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (½ cup; see note)

For the sandwiches

¾ cup flour, plus ½ cup for coating the fillets

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs

½ cup Guinness stout

¼ cup whole or low-fat buttermilk

Oil, for frying (about 3 cups)

Four 4-to-6-ounce cod fillets (or other firm white-fleshed fish)

8 slices thick white bread, such as Texas toast, lightly toasted

16 slices American cheese

For the sauce: Combine the pickle chips, onion, capers and garlic in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped, then drain off any excess liquid. Transfer the chopped ingredients to a mixing bowl.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest and juice, black pepper, dill and sugar; whisk until well incorporated, then fold in the jalapeños. The yield is 2 cups. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use (up to 2 weeks).

For the sandwiches: Combine the ¾ cup of flour, the salt, pepper, chili powder and baking powder in a mixing bowl, whisking until combined.

Whisk together the eggs, stout and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup, then add to flour mixture, whisking to form a smooth batter. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels, then seat a wire cooling rack on top.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. You'll need an instant-read thermometer for monitoring the fish-frying oil.

Rinse the fish fillets in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Spread the remaining ½ cup of flour on a plate.

Coat the fillets with the flour on both sides, shaking off any excess. Working with a few at a time, dip the floured fillets into the batter so they are fully coated, then immediately lay them in the oil. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until the batter has browned and the fish is opaque and cooked through. Use a slotted spatula to transfer the fillets to the rack. Discard any remaining batter.

Meanwhile, place the toasted bread slices on a baking sheet. Lay two slices of the cheese on top of each piece of bread, overlapping as needed. Bake for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Place a fried fillet on four of the toast slices, then spoon on a generous dollop of the jalapeño tartar sauce. Top with the remaining cheesy toast slices. Serve right away.

Note: The sauce recipe calls for seeding the jalapeños, but you can amp up the flavor by adding some seeds back into the sauce for an additional hit of heat.

Makes 4 servings

From Matt Fish, chef-owner of Melt Bar & Grilled in Cleveland