by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Fish, Sauces, TOP Five
Well, after experimenting with different ways to use Open Blue’s Cobia (aka Black Kingfish), I decided to create a new fish taco recipe. After spending 10 days in Mexico with my family, I really felt like I had tasted ample local flavor, in order to attempt to create something that my family would be proud of… and the verdict was… “This is, by far, the best fish tacos I have EVER had”, a direct quote from my foodie (a try food snob) 16-year-old son! Wahoo!!! It truly warmed my heart. Well, so here it goes:
Cobia Fish Marinade*:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 pound of Cobia (black kingfish) cut into 4 pieces
- Salt
- 2 limes cut into quarters
Pickled Onions:
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- About 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
Tacos shells:
- 8 fresh corn tortillas (We love the brand Mariposa)
- 2 cups of canola oil
Avocado Crema:
- 2 avocados
- ½ Tsp salt
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- ½ cup sour cream
Pico De Gallo:
- 1 ⅓ cup of chopped tomatoes
- 1 chopped green chili
- juice of ½ lime
- ¼ Tsp salt
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped red onion
- 2 tbsp seeded and minced jalapeño (optional)
Bean and Corn Salsa:
- 1 cup of sweet corn (organic canned)
- 1 cup black beans (organic)
- juice of ½ lime
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- ¼ Tsp salt
Preparation:
Marinate the Onion: Put the onion in a small bowl and pour in enough red wine vinegar to cover well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or up to several weeks.
Marinate the Fish: Pour the olive oil into a small bowl and add the ancho chile powder, cumin, and chopped cilantro. Mix well. Place the fish in a plastic bag and pour the marinade over it, making sure to massage and coat the fish well on all sides. Allow marinating for at least 20 minutes. I marinated mine for 2 hours.
Avocado Crema: In a food processor, add the avocados, salt, and cilantro. Puree until smooth. Remove from food processor and stir in the sour cream.
Pico De Gallo/Salsa: For both the Pico De Gallo and the Bean salsa. Mix all of the ingredients together. (I kept them separated).
Cook the Fish: Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove the fish from the marinade and place in the hot pan (there is no need to add more oil). Season the fish with salt. Cook the fish for 4 minutes undisturbed, then turn over, and cook for another 2 minutes or until cooked through and opaque. Remove the pan from the heat and flake the fish into the pan with a fork, making sure to mix in all the marinade that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Check for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Set aside.
Make the Tortillas Tacos Shells: In a large deep pot, add the oil and cook on medium-high. One by one, place the corn tortillas into the oil, flip over after 10 seconds and make sure both sides start to puff up and brown, crease the middle and bend the tortillas in half, and submerge them until they are crisp. Place them on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Assemble and Serve: To assemble the tacos, place a heaping spoonful of the marinated flaked fish onto the center of a tortilla, add a squeeze of lime. Top with the both the Pico del Gallo and the bean salsa, and marinated onions. Serve with a dollop of avocado crema and cilantro.
*Inspiration from a fish taco marinade I found on Epicurious – made some modifications to the ingredients – the rest of the ingredients are my creation.
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Fish, Sauces, TOP Five
Well, after experimenting with different ways to use Open Blue’s Cobia (aka Black Kingfish), I decided to create a new fish taco recipe. After spending 10 days in Mexico with my family, I really felt like I had tasted ample local flavor, in order to attempt to create something that my family would be proud of… and the verdict was… “This is, by far, the best fish tacos I have EVER had”, a direct quote from my foodie (a try food snob) 16 year old son! Wahoo!!! It truly warmed my heart. Well, so here is goes:
Cobia Marinade*:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 pound of Cobia (black kingfish) cut into 4 pieces
- Salt
- 2 limes cut into quarters
Pickled Onions:
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- About 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
Tacos shells:
- 8 fresh corn tortillas (We love the brand Mariposa)
- 2 cups of canola oil
Avocado Crema:
- 2 avocados
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
- ½ cup sour cream
Pico De Gallo:
- 1 ⅓ cup of chopped tomatoes
- 1 chopped green chile
- juice of ½ lime
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped red onion
- 2 tbsp seeded and minced jalapeño (optional)
Bean and Corn Salsa:
- 1 cup of sweet corn (organic canned)
- 1 cup black beans (organic)
- juice of ½ lime
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- ¼ tsp salt
Preparation:
Marinate the Onion: Put the onion in a small bowl and pour in enough red wine vinegar to cover well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or up to several weeks.
Marinate the Fish: Pour the olive oil into a small bowl and add the ancho chile powder, cumin, and chopped cilantro. Mix well. Place the fish in a plastic bag and pour the marinade over it, making sure to massage and coat the fish well on all sides. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes. I marinated mine for 2 hours.
Avocado Crema: In a food processor, add the avocados, salt and cilantro. Puree until smooth. Remove from food processor and stir in the sour cream.
Pico De Gallo/Salsa: For both the Pico De Gallo and the Bean salsa. Mix all of the ingredients together. (I kept them separated).
Cook the Fish: Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove the fish from the marinade and place in the hot pan (there is no need to add more oil). Season the fish with salt. Cook the fish for 4 minutes undisturbed, then turn over, and cook for another 2 minutes or until cooked through and opaque. Remove the pan from the heat and flake the fish into the pan with a fork, making sure to mix in all the marinade that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Check for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Set aside.
Make the Tortillas Tacos Shells: In a large deep pot, add the oil and cook on medium-high. One by one, place the corn tortillas into the oil, flip over after 10 seconds and make sure both sides start to puff up and brown, crease the middle and bend the tortillas in half, and submerge them until they are crisp. Place them on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Assemble and Serve: To assemble the tacos, place a heaping spoonful of the marinated flaked fish onto the center of a tortilla, add a squeeze of lime. Top with the both the pico del gallo and the bean salsa, add marinated onions. Serve with a dollop of avocado crema, and cilantro.
*Inspiration from a fish taco marinade I found on Epicurious – made some modifications to the ingredients – the rest of the ingredients below are my creation.
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Fish, Vegetables
My family loves salmon, not only because of the taste, but the health benefits as well. It’s packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and is an excellent source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals (including potassium, selenium and vitamin B12). I like to try different recipes with salmon so that my family doesn’t get sick of it. Here is a recipe I found, but made some modifications to it.
Ingredients:
For the Salmon:
- 4 6-ounce pieces of salmon, skin and bones removed
- 4 teaspoons of soy sauce
- ½ cup minced red onion
- 1 lemon, quartered
For the Mushrooms:
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 4 cups wild mushrooms (creminis, chanterelles, or oysters)
- 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
- 5 cloves of chopped garlic
- salt and freshly ground pepper
For the Lentils:
- 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cups of chicken broth (bone broth is even better – more protein)
- ⅓ cup julienned prosciutto
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
For the Lentils: Place the olive oil in a medium sauce-pan and warm over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook until onions are translucent (approx. 3-4 minutes). Add the chicken stock and lentils to the pan, boil then reduce heat to a simmer. cook for 20 to 40 minutes (depends on the type of lentils being used – best to follow the package instructions). Once cooked to desired consistency (I prefer a little al dente), remove from heat, fold in the prosciutto and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
For the Mushrooms: trim the end of the stems from the mushroom and slice into ¼ inch slices. Bake the mushrooms covered in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then, Place 1 tbsp. butter in a large sauce pan, on medium heat and add the garlic and rosemary. Cook until garlic is cooked through. With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and rosemary, leaving any butter in the pan. Add the other tbsp and mushrooms to the pan, and cook. I prefer my mushrooms a little browned. Cook for 5 minutes or until they reached desired consistency. Remove mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.
For the Salmon: Rub the salmon with the soy sauce, place under broiler for 3-4 minutes. In an even coat, add the onions and return to broiler, make sure not to burn the onions, or over cook the salmon. (I cooked my for 7 minutes on the 3rd shelf down from the top, so it did not burn). Remove Salmon and squeeze lemon over it.
Assembly: In the center of each plate, spoon some cooked lentils, place salmon on top, and spoon on the mushrooms. Sprinkle with parsley.
