Tender spring asparagus and fish join forces with a spicy, citrusy sauce
Now that spring has finally sprung, I’ve been wanting to spend more time outside enjoying the extra hours of daylight and less time inside cooking dinner. So, in a pivot from the cozy meals of months past, I’ve been enjoying quick-cooking sheet-pan dinners with ingredients like fish fillets, which don’t require a long time to marinate and take only minutes to cook through.
I didn’t grow up eating a lot of seafood, and though I’ve come to love it, I always felt nervous preparing it on my own. But when my boyfriend took up a fishing hobby last year, I suddenly found myself with more fish than I knew what to do with, and lots of opportunity to practice. Inspired by Rob Newton’s Red Curry Mayo Roasted Chicken Legs (a staple in my house), I slather either salmon or trout in a flavorful mayonnaise sauce that’s equally savory, spicy, and citrusy for a meal that comes together in well under half an hour. This has become my favorite way to prepare fish—the mayo clings to the fillets and bakes into a punchy, built-in sauce, plus it keeps the fish moist and tender.
My recipe makes use of ingredients that I usually stock in my own pantry: chile flakes, garlic powder, limes, and, of course, mayonnaise. To get the most out of the chile flakes, I like to bloom them in a little hot oil, which helps to unlock a subtle toastiness and infuse a slow-burning heat throughout the entire sauce. (You could skip this step by subbing in some premade or storebought chili oil, or even chili crisp.) Once the oil cools down, the mayo and other remaining ingredients are stirred in and the mixture is spooned over the fish.
To make this into a true sheet-pan dinner, I like to add some spring asparagus to the mix and paint the tender stalks with the mayonnaise mixture as well. Asparagus works nicely since it cooks quickly, but green beans or snap peas would be a tasty, equally verdant swap. As far as choosing your fish, I would recommend whatever is most available and affordable. I have a personal preference for the milder flavor of trout but have enjoyed many salmon dinners using this recipe as well. Sometimes I’ll serve some rice or pasta on the side, but to be honest, I usually find myself eating this dish right out of the pan.