Mako shark tacos with Asian snow pea salad

MMMMMmmmmmmm....I made some really delicious fish tacos last night using Mako Shark that we got in our last delivery from SLO Veg. They partner with SLO Fresh Catch to bring fresh, locally caught fish right to our doorstep. 

This type of fish is my favorite, because it comes fileted into nice steak-like slabs that eats like meat. I don't have to worry about any pesky little pin bones like you find in snapper or grenadier, either. I basically followed this recipe from Cooking Light, except that I used shark and also some shredded lettuce since I was all out of cabbage. The crema was really delicious and put a nice finish on the tacos. Dinner was accompanied by an Asian snow pea salad and a Pacifico beer. Just right!

Oh, and I didn't bake the fish. I fried it in a cast iron skillet with olive oil and butter. Just too hot to be turning on the oven this time of summer. But you know, basically followed this recipe. For the salad, I did actully follow the recipe, except for the mustard. I did not have any Chinese hot mustard on hand, not even any little packets from Chinese take out. So I substituted Irish Hot Mustard. I don't know what the difference is, so I didn't think it could possibly matter. Hope you get a chance to try it.

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Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

Cumin, coriander, and paprika lend these fish tacos a delightfully warm, smoky flavor. They're the perfect foundation for the zippy sour cream sauce. For an appealing variation, substitute peeled medium shrimp for the snapper or romaine in place of cabbage.

Ingredients

Crema:

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos:

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets

Cooking spray

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.

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Asian snow pea salad

Ingredients

1 pound snow peas, trimmed and blanched

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon hot Chinese mustard

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Preparation

1. Stack several snow peas and slice on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Repeat to slice remaining peas.

2. In a large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, and mustard until well combined. Add sliced snow peas and 1 tablespoon green onions; mix to coat. Cover and chill until cold, at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.

3. Just before serving, mound salad on a platter and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon green onions and the sesame seeds.

 

Fish with Fruit Salsa

Making some fish tacos tonight! We received some lovely Pacific Grenedier in our weekly delivery from SLO Veg. They have a co-op thing going with SLO Fresh Catch, so we also get a pound of fresh-caught ocean fish from local fishermen delivered with our vegies and fruits each week. Since we got more peaches and some nice green "Pitron" spicy peppers in the box, I decided to make this version of Pacific Grenadier with Fruit Salsa from the SLOfreshcatch.com website. I never heard of Pitron peppers before, however, I can tell you they are spicy! Glad I roasted them a bit first. We are gonna need that beer tonight!

I rounded out the dinner with corn tortilla chips, roasted broccoli and yellow squash, and black beans straight out of a can. The broccoli and squash was simply drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and roasted in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. I love roasting vegies, because it brings out a whole new flavor diminsion and makes them so scrumptious!

http://www.slofreshcatch.com/august-6-8-2013-pacific-grenadier-with-fruit-salsa-caught-by-captain-le/

I borrowed the recipe from SLO Fresh Catch and decided to make some tacos out of it. Tacos, chips  and beer...we ought to be able to eat a lot of fruit salsa that way. 

I burned the outer skin of the pepper right on my gas stove top. I turned the flame up high and kept turning the pepper with tongs. Blackened that puppy all the way around and then scrapped off as much of the burnt stuff as I could before chopping the pepper into small bits.

Here is Captain Le's recipe:

Blackened Grenadier with Fruit Salsa (serves four)
Blackening Rub ( or use your favorite one from the grocery store)

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or other                                                                           flavorless oil

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine a paste.
Fruit  Salsa:

• 1 mango, or peach or nectarine peeled, pitted and diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
• 1/8 cup diced red or green bell pepper
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• juice of 1 lime
• pinch of salt…or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro; chopped

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Can be made a few hours ahead. Taste just before serving and adjust seasoning as needed.
Blackened Grenadier:

• 1 lb. fresh fish, cut into 4 servings

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
To prepare the fish, start by wiping the flesh with a dry paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
Rub the blackening paste on one side of the fish.
Pour a small amount of vegetable oil into a large saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. When pan is nice and hot, carefully place fish into preheated pan. Sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes each side. Remove fish from pan and place onto a cookie sheet lined with tinfoil. Place pan into preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cod is cooked through.
 Remove pan from oven and place fish on top of steamed rice or whatever you’re serving. Top fish with salsa, a lime wedge and extra cilantro.

Fish Taco with Fruit Salsa, black beans and roasted broccoli and yellow squash on the side.