MEET THE SOUS CHEF
JASON SCHAAN, CHEF DE CUISINE, MICHY'S
When Jason Schaan is not in the kitchen, he’s on the water.
The 34-year-old chef de cuisine at Michy’s lives in Hallandale Beach, just north of the city of Miami, and spends his days off spearfishing, diving and surfing. Though raised in Virginia, he’s taken well to life in Florida.
Fittingly, he says his favorite foods are “fresh and from the ocean,” and when asked to share a favorite recipe for Sous Chef Series, he chose the kind of dish he would actually eat at home: a grilled-fish sandwich that he serves with a swipe of jerk aioli and jicama-apple slaw.
TRACK THIS CHEF
DAY IN THE LIFE
Gone Fishing
"My buddy has a boat, and a good day off is spent out on the water, drinking beer and spearfishing."
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Some Like It Hot
To prevent fish from sticking to the grill, Schaan preheats his grill (gas or charcoal) until very hot, then generously oils the grate. Once you put the fish on the grate, he cautions, “Don’t mess with it. Don’t play with it. When the fish has browned on one side, you’ll be able to flip it easily.”
Flipping Out
In addition to a sharp knife, Schaan’s must-have kitchen tool is a , which he uses to gently flip fillets without damaging the delicate flesh.
YIELD
2 sandwiches (with extra slaw)
INGREDIENTS
Jerk Aioli
Scallions, 2 small (light green and white parts)
Garlic, 1 small clove
Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, ½ small chile
Kosher salt, 1½ teaspoons
Allspice (ground), 1½ teaspoons
Light brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon
Thyme leaves, ¾ teaspoon
Nutmeg (ground), ¼ teaspoon
Black pepper (ground), ¼ teaspoon
Cinnamon (ground), ⅛ teaspoon
Orange zest (finely grated), ⅛ teaspoon
Ginger root (peeled and finely grated), a small pinch
Mayonnaise, 1 cup
Slaw
Jicama, 1 small (peeled, sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds, stacked and sliced into thin matchsticks)
Celery root, 1 small (peeled, sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds, stacked and sliced into thin matchsticks)
Granny Smith apples, 1½ (peeled, halved, cored, sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds, stacked and sliced into thin matchsticks)
Lime, 1 (juiced)
Cilantro leaves, ½ bunch
Snapper Sandwich
Extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup
Lemon, 1 (juiced)
Canola or vegetable oil
Red snapper, two 4-ounce fillets
Potato-bread buns, 2
Heirloom tomato, 1 (sliced ¼ inch thick)
Bibb lettuce leaves, 2
EQUIPMENT
Paper towels
DIRECTIONS
1) In the blender or mini food processor, purée until smooth:
- Jerk Aioli ingredients
Using the rubber spatula, scrape into a medium bowl, cover and set aside.
2) In the large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the:
- Jicama
- Celery root
- Apples
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
- 2 tablespoons Jerk Aioli
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate (save the rest of the Jerk Aioli for another time).
3) In the small bowl, use the whisk to combine the:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat. Use the grill brush to scrape and clean the hot grill grates. Use grill tongs to dip a few folded paper towels into a small bowl of:
- Canola oil
Grease the grates with the oil-saturated paper towels. Once the grates start to smoke, add the:
- Red snapper fillets, skin side down
Grill until the fish is cooked halfway through, 1 to 2 minutes. Use the grill spatula to rotate the fish 45 degrees. Grill 1 minute more, then turn the fish over. Use the silicone basting brush to coat the fish with the olive oil-lemon- juice mixture and cook until nearly cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Use the spatula to rotate the fish another 45 degrees and grill for 1 minute longer. Transfer the fish to a plate.
On the grill, place the:
- Potato buns, cut side down
Grill until lightly toasted. Use the tongs to place each bun on a plate. Place a grilled fillet on the bottom half, then top with some slaw, a slice of tomato and a lettuce leaf. Cover with the top half of the bun and serve.
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