Opah Crusted with Hazelnut, Hatch Chile, Milk Poached Garlic, and Brown Sugar

The flavor pairing idea herein was about achieving a balance of crunchy earthiness, gentle heat, tames bitterness, and a sweet finish on this medium bodied Hawaiian fish, the Opah.

From gastronomic guesswork

This fish was coated in a mixture of 1 part fresh hatch chile, 1 part milk poached garlic (poached on low heat for an hour), 2 parts hazelnut flour (also called hazelnut meal), and 1 part brown sugar. It was then sauteed crust side down for 8 minutes starting on high heat and reducing to medium after 2 minutes, then finishing the other side for 4 minutes on medium. The fish was good, the crust was great.