For dads of young kids, Father’s Day isn’t so much about getting pampered as it is just being with their little ones—something that chef Brian Light has really come to appreciate.
“They’ll make little handwritten notes or one year I got a paper tie,” he said, chuckling. “But really the best gift is just spending time with them.”
Light is the co-owner, chef and farmer at Ronin, a true farm-to-table dining establishment in Bryan, Texas, just outside of College Station where Texas A&M is located and 90 minutes north of Houston. The restaurant is a true family establishment: His wife, Amanda Light, runs the Best of Award of Excellence–winning wine program.
By design, Ronin is tied to the shifting of the seasons. Twelve years ago, the Lights bought what would become their farm, where they began hosting events and monthly “full moon dinners” to take advantage of Light’s cooking chops from working in kitchens across the United States. The farm grew, with flocks of guinea fowl and chickens, a drove of pigs, a tortoise, and gardens with veggies and grains.
For Light, one of the biggest lessons in farming has been breaking away from the idea of having four seasons. “It’s more like 50,” he quips. There are so many micro-seasons, with growing conditions shifting week by week, that he found it a challenge to attune to those subtleties. “Most restaurants are sourcing ingredients from across the United States, if not the globe,” says Light. “I used to push a button and get asparagus year-round; I didn’t know that asparagus was only available for 10 weeks in the spring.”
In 2015, the Lights opened the restaurant, within a 111-year-old ice house, sourcing ingredients from either the farm or the surrounding Brazos Valley to create dishes that range from chicken-fried steak and peach-lacquered barbeque chicken to African fish curry. The wine list, curated by Amanda, focuses on small-scale and environmentally-focused producers, including selections from Texas.
When asked about his plans for Father’s Day this year, Light started to get a little excited. “This is actually my first Father’s Day where I am not working,” he explained. He and Amanda made the decision earlier in the year to close Ronin on Sundays, giving them more time to recharge. “Between work, the farm and school, we didn’t have an actual day off to spend with the kids. It might not be the most financially reasonable thing we’ve done, but by every other metric it’s been worth it.”
The Lights’ daughters, Autumn and Senora, are true restaurant kids, according to their parents: putting on their aprons and helping their mother polish glassware, making cappuccinos behind the bar, and braiding the hair of the college girls who work front of house. “When we pick them up from school, they get disappointed when we say we aren’t going to the restaurant,” says Light. “We started the farm when the 12-year-old was little, and the younger one was an infant when we were building the restaurant. This is really all they’ve ever known. Sometimes I wonder if we’re doing right by our kids, but they love it and actually get upset when they have to go home.”
This recipe is a far cry from the fish tacos that Light’s family typically enjoys for Sunday dinner. His sister-in-law’s version of fish tacos was created by her father, who took some liberty with what is traditionally put on a tortilla: corn flakes encrust the fish, Miracle Whip is spread on the tortillas for a bit of lactic tang, and balsamic vinegar is added to the pico de gallo for sweetness. “It is all wrong, but it’s actually so good,” he chuckles. “The kids love it, the adults love it. For being something that’s completely wrong and against everything I’ve learned in the kitchen, it’s delicious.”
For Light’s version, he uses panko breadcrumbs to coat the fish, which he says should be as fresh as possible. (“Sure, you can use frozen fish, but it is not going to be as good as using what fish is locally available.”) Frying fish may seem daunting and dangerous to some, but Light swears by deep-frying in his wok. If you’re still nervous, he highly recommends getting a small countertop fryer like a FryDaddy to take the pressure off.
To pair with the tacos, Amanda will pull out a bottle of Spanish Txakolina, like Nicolas Ulacia e Hijos Getariako Txakolina 2018. Made from the Hondarrabi Zuri grape variety, this Basque wine is slightly effervescent, which helps cut though the fried coating on the fish, and is tart enough to match the acidity from the salsa and pico de gallo.
Summer Fried Fresh Fish Tacos
Ingredients
For the pico de gallo
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 red garden tomatoes
- 1 jalapeño (more if you like spice)
- 2 tablespoons Texas olive oil (other is fine)
- Juice of 1 to 2 limes
For the fried fish
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 to 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 pounds fresh white fish (grouper, tilefish, snapper, flounder, etc.) cut into finger-sized pieces, almost like fish sticks
- 2 cups canola oil
For assembly
- A dozen corn or flour tortillas
- Salsa of choice
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 cup cilantro, torn
- Edible flowers for garnish
Preparation
1. Make the pico de gallo. Finely dice the peppers, onions, tomatoes and jalapeño and add to a bowl. Combine with olive oil and lime juice and mix. Set aside.
2. Mix the egg and milk together to make an egg wash. Assemble your frying station, with three shallow bowls of each: flour, egg wash and panko. To each bowl, add a pinch of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder to ensure that each portion is well seasoned.
3. One by one, dredge each piece of fish in the flour, covering all sides. Shake off excess and dip into the egg wash, fully coating. Then, cover the fish in the panko breadcrumbs, again shaking off excess. Place on a plate and repeat until all the fish is prepped.
4. Heat a wok (or other deep-sided frying pan) with the canola oil, bringing it to around 325° F (but do not exceed 350° F).
5. In batches, add the coated fish to the pan, frying both sides until golden brown, around 5 minutes. Repeat until all fish is fried.
6. Heat tortillas on low heat in the oven or in a clean pan on the stovetop. Spread salsa on the tortillas and top with the fried fish. Top with pico de gallo, cilantro, slices of avocado, whole cilantro leaves and edible flowers. Serves 2–6.
8 Spanish Whites to Drink All Summer
Note: The following list is a selection of outstanding and very good wines from recent tastings. More options can be found in our Wine Ratings Search.
BODEGAS DE LA CANA
Albariño Rias Baixas La Caña 2022
Score: 91 | $25
WS Review: Shows a creamy texture that carries focused flavors of poached apricot and tangerine fruit, lemon-infused pastry cream and accents of dried tarragon and pink peppercorn. A lithe white, well-knit and lightly mouthwatering, with a salty undertow driving the lingering finish. Drink now through 2026. 23,000 cases made, 20,000 cases imported. From Spain.—Alison Napjus
JORGE ORDOÑEZ & CO.
Moscatel Sierras de Málaga Botani Old Vines 2022
Score: 91 | $22
WS Review: A dry, aromatic white, with mouthwatering acidity and a chalky underpinning, this refreshing sipper shows notes of nectarine, lime blossoms, pink grapefruit granita, fresh tarragon and pickled ginger. Very appealing. Drink now through 2025. 7,500 cases made, 2,500 cases imported. From Spain. —A.N.
ETXANIZ TXAKOLINA
Getariako Txakolina Txomin Etxaniz 2022
Score: 90 | $25
WS Review: This linear white has a light, pleasing spritz to it and well-knit acidity that crackles on the palate, layered with notes of white peach, elderflower and lime and pink grapefruit zest. Drink now. 6,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported. From Spain.—A.N.
ERREKALDE
Hondarrabi Zuri Getariako Txakolina Baskoli 2022
Score: 90 | $24
WS Review: A minerally white, with generous flint and saline underscoring the ripe, juicy white cherry, tangerine and pear fruit and accents of verbena and fresh tarragon. Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza. Drink now through 2026. 3,500 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.From Spain.—A.N.
TORRES
Albariño Rias Baixas Pazo das Bruxas Torre Penelas 2022
Score: 89 | $22
WS Review: A lithe, vibrant white, with passion fruit, peach skin, lime zest and mineral flavors accented by delicate floral and spice aromas. Drink now. 34,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported. From Spain.—A.N.
SANTIAGO RUIZ
Rias Baixas 2022
Score: 88 | $22
WS Review: A light-bodied white, offering a tangy mix of melon, pink grapefruit zest and candied watermelon notes. Stone-tinged finish. Albariño, Loureiro, Godello, Treixadura and Caiño. Drink now. 41,500 cases made, 2,700 cases imported.From Spain.—A.N.
PAZO DE VILLAREI
Albariño Rias Baixas 2022
Score: 87 | $22
WS Review: Lively and open-knit, with ripe melon and nectarine fruit, ground ginger, chive blossom and lime notes. A bit modest on the finish, but still an appealing quaff. Drink now. 3,500 cases made, 2,750 cases imported. From Spain.—A.N.
GARAIKOETXEA
Getariako Txakolina Inazio Urruzola 2020
Score: 86 | $20
WS Review: A lip-smacking white, showing saline and spice aromas and flavors that underscore crunchy white peach and pear fruit, with grapefruit and herb accents. Hondarrabi Zuri and Petit Corvou. Drink now. 3,000 cases made, 2,000 cases imported. From Spain.—A.N.
