Tacos de Pescado

It started at the harbour. I was wearing two full-length wetsuits, getting ready for a dive.That’s when I saw Mom talking to a fisherman.

At this point, I had already planned to make tacos de pescado for dinner, and for that I needed fish. So I hopped out of the boat and inquired. The fisherman’s bucket was full of mackerel that were all glistening with freshness.

I asked, ‘cuenta costa,’ how much? He replied ‘gratis,’ free. ‘No’ I said, thinking he was kidding around.Meanwhile, I hoped he would seriously consider my offer. I had no other way of obtaining fresh fish, so I was desperate.

In the end, he stood by his offer, and handed it to me free of charge. It would easily feed 8 or 10 people. But I still needed it gutted. Santos, our boat driver, volunteered. I don’t know how things could have worked out better.

As I watched Santos carefully cut the flesh from the animal, I asked him: ‘porque gratis?’ Why did he give it to me for free? He replied ‘bonita’ or beautiful. I laughed, ‘Nooo, ano nuevo,’ it’s New Years! We all chuckled.

I had two pink-tinted filets of mackerel for tacos. I also had the leftover fish skeleton which I used to feed a sealion during the dive. Not bad for New Year’s Eve day.

Tacos de Pescado

Serves 4

Salsa fresca

5 tomatoes, diced

1/2 onion, minced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper

1 handful of coriander, chopped

juice of 1 or 2 limes

salt

pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, and toss. Let sit for a few minutes and taste, adjust accordingly.

Genevieve’s guacamole

4 avocados, peeled and pitted

1/4 onion, minced

2 small cloves of garlic, minced and crushed with the back of the knife

2 heaping tablespoons of salsa fresca

1 tbsp grated cheese (cheddar works well)

1 lime

1 handful of coriander, chopped.

salt

pepper

Directions:

Place the avocados in a bowl and smash with a potato smasher or fork. Add the other ingredients, mix. Taste and adjust.

For the tacos:

1 large filet of mackerel

10 corn tortillas

1/2 head of a small purple cabbage, sliced

salsa fresca

guacamole

wedges of lime

Directions:

For the fish, cut the fish into 2 inch wide filets. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the bbq to high. Oil the grill right before placing the fish on it, skin-side down. Grill for around 7 minutes. Flip only once, half way through, and test doneness by inserting a fork into the center of the flesh and twisting. If the flakes of fish come apart with ease, the fish is ready.

To Assemble:

Heat the corn tortillas for a few seconds on the grill. Place small broken apart pieces of fish in the center. Layer a few slices of cabbage, salsa, guacamole and a squeeze of lime.

Salmon Ceviche

We are within the last hurrahs of summer. Though afternoon allows us to wear sandals, dawn makes our toes beg for woolen socks.

So here I am making ceviche, reluctant as ever to change seasons. This entrée, or if you prefer, small tapas-like dish, is cold, refreshing and citrusy. The salmon feels like silk between your teeth, having kept its distance from any heat.

Inspired by the Peruvian classic, I’ve combined lots of fresh lime juice, cilantro and garlic. Avocado lends a creaminess that cuts the lime’s acidity and compliments the salmon’s texture. Cucumber adds a satisfying crunch.

Summer, if I have to say goodbye, I’ll say it with my mouth full and my socks on.

Salmon Ceviche

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 8oz sushi-grade, boneless salmon filet
• 1/4 cup finely diced avocado
• 1/4 cup finely diced, seeded cucumber
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tsp. grapeseed or avocado oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. minced, seeded jalapeño
• 1 1/2 tsp. minced shallot
• 1 clove of garlic, minced and mashed
• salt
• fresh-cracked pepper

Directions:

Place salmon on a plate and freeze for 20 minutes, so as to make dicing easier.

Thinly slice it lengthwise, into sheets about 1/4″ thick.

Cut crosswise into 1/4″ strips. And crosswise again, into 1/4″ cubes.

Place the salmon in a medium-sized bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the avocado and chill for 20-30 minutes, so that the outside of the salmon becomes slightly opaque and the flavours have mellowed together.

Add the diced avocado and serve immediately, plain or with tortilla chips.

Moqueca in Paradise

I have just returned from the beautiful island of Roatan off the coast of Honduras. For the duration of my stay, I worked to complete my Divemaster certification and internship.

the view at breakfast

Needless to say, cooking was not on my mind.  And even if it had been, there was no time – let alone a kitchen – to do so.

Nonetheless, I became friends with the kitchen staff at the resort. The ladies and I would cut the resort’s fruit every morning and afternoon. By the end of the month, they were happy to give me what I needed to cook our ‘last supper’. So I did, with Noel, a new friend, and Genn, too. The star of the meal would be  fresh, ocean snapper.

on the fishing boat

Earlier in the week, we had caught several fish: two tuna, two bonita and a jack. But the expert fisherman who took us fishing did not let us feast just yet. He took the lot for bait, along with Noel, and went out to sea once more, this time for some deep-water fishing.

Upon their return, Noel had a recipe and a list of ingredients. She found us a kitchen and I got us the ingredients – thank you kitchen ladies!

the finished product

Next thing we knew, we had a bottle of wine and Moqueca, a traditional Brazilian fish stew. We had a house to ourselves with a view of the ocean. We had good conversation and good company. That’s more than I could have hoped for on my last night in paradise.

Moqueca Fish Stew

serves four

Note: This recipe is a loose approximation. Don’t overcook the fish and taste frequently – you’ll have a winner.

Ingredients:

4 filets of white fish

1 onion, diced

2 -3 limes

4 cloves of garlic

2 tomatoes, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

handful of chopped coriander

1/2 can of coconut milk (or to taste)

olive oil

1/2 tbsp paprika

generous pinch of red pepper flakes

salt

pepper

Directions:

1. Place the fish in a ziploc bag with 2 cloves of the garlic and the juice of 2 limes. Let marinate for at least one hour and up to 6 hours in the fridge.

2. Sautee the onions until softened in a splash of olive oil. Add the remaining garlic and spices, cooking until fragrant about 1 minute.

3. Add the tomatoes and bell pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the coconut milk and stir until combined. Add the fish and its marinade and gently cover it with the stew to ensure even cooking. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes when poked with a fork.

5. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve over rice, with slices of lime and extra red pepper flakes.

Coconut Shrimp

These are not the all-american – and all deep-fried – coconut shrimp. These are Indian and curried. They’re full of spice and flavour, perfect for summer.

Doesn’t it seem odd though, that spicy food is most commonly eaten in the hottest of climates? You’d think that extra heat from food wouldn’t be so widely acclaimed. And yet, the curries in India and even the papaya salad in Thailand, all pack a punch.

A quick research told me why: the first bite of a spicy dish will bring sweat to your brow, so when a breeze blows by, you’re instantly cooled off.

I think a cool chutney, or in this case a fennel and radish salad, never hurt either. This one is every bit as refreshing as the breeze, and it has good crunch.

Apparently, the coconut in the dish also serves a purpose: its fat content makes the heat more tolerable. But I like it for its tropical flavour and pleasant chew. So here it is, and don’t worry, the spice level is adustable. The curry is very flavourful without the spice, if that’s what you prefer.

Coconut Shrimp Curry

Serves four

Ingredients:

2 fresh jalapeno chiles, very finely diced

7 dried curry leaves

3 garlic cloves

scant 1/2 tsp ground ginger (or scant tbsp freshly grated)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

scant tsp whole mustard seeds

scant tsp ground coriander

scant 1/2 tsp ground cumin

scant 1/4 tsp groud turmeric

1/2 large onion, diced

2-3 large tomatoes, diced

2/3 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

1.5 lbs shrimp, peeled (deveined if desired)

handful of fresh coriander leaves

1/2 lime, cut into wedges

1 1/2 cups cooked basmati rice

Directions:

1. Over medium heat, cook chilis and garlic until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute (with ginger if using fresh).

2. Add spices along with a generous pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes or until mustard seeds begin to pop.

3. Add onions and cook until softened. Add tomatoes and coconut, rbing to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, until tomates are softened and flavours have blended, abolut 15 minutes ( you might need to add a splash of water to keep things moist).

4. Turn the heat back up to medium and add shirmp. Cook until just cooked through (uniformely pink) for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over basmati rice, garnished with fresh coriander and a spritz of lime.

Dîner Pour Emporter

I packed my mom a lunch today. It’s summery and made with fresh bread from the bakery.

The key here is the cream cheese. Philadelphia won’t cut it; it’s too sweet. Liberté cream cheese, however, is tangy and perfect for this open-faced sandwich. Topped with arugula, red onion and gravlax, I hope she likes it!

For two

Last night was our mother-daughter supper. We pulled out a filet of halibut, and made our favorite recipe. It has a bit of a everything: potatoes, pancetta, fennel and orange.

And, it’s deceptively simple. Unfortunately, chopping got a bit complicated last night due to my splinted finger. But I think we managed just fine, don’t you?

Pan-Seared Halibut with Pancetta and Fennel Salad

Serves 2

(recipe courtesy of delicious. magazine)

Ingredients:

5 baby potatoes, cut into quarters

1 filet of halibut, 1 inch thick

1 tbsp olive oil

2 slices of pancetta, 1 cm thick

small handful of flatleaf parsley, chopped

1 orange

1/4 red onion, finely sliced

1/2 fennel bulb, finely sliced plus the fennel fronds

1 1/2 tsp pink peppercorns in brine, crushed with the side of the knife.

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Direction:

1. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 6 minutes. Drain.

2. Prepare the salad. Peel and segment the orange over a bowl so as to reserve the juices. Add the red onion, fennel, pink peppercorns and olive oil.

3. Place the pancetta in a pan, and fry for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, and cook until tender and golden, around 8 minutes. When cooked, transfer this mixture to the serving dish, discarding any excess oil.

4. Add the remaining tbsp olive oil to the pan, and sear the halibut, cooking for 3-5 minutes per side. To verify that the fish is cooked, insert a fork into the center of the filet, and twist slightly. If the fish flakes, it is cooked.

5. Place the fish on top of the potatoes and pancetta, then top with the salad.

Saturday Snapper

Our Saturday dinner was quite the feast. It was the kind of meal that takes place in stages; we didn’t worry about timing. We ate gradually, as things were ready, enjoying the warm weather.

We began with marinated, grilled squid. What a delicacy!

We then shared grilled asparagus, dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

And finally, we prepared the snapper. Though the cooking method initially seems complicated, it’s actually quite the opposite.  The aromatics, in this case lemon, thyme and shallots, are nestled in the belly of the beast.

A mixture of salt and water becomes a hard crust over the fish with the heat of the oven. It also seasons and steams the fish in the process.

Plus, it’s an impressive meal to serve, as cracking the salt crust requires a bit of elbow grease. It’s best when enjoyed with close friends or family as it can get a bit messy towards the end. Everyone agrees; the best part is fishing for the little remaining morcels of tender, flaky flesh.

Salt-Crusted Snapper

Ingredients:

4 lbs coarse salt

2 cups water

2 slices of lemon (1/4 inch thick)

3 sprigs of thyme

1 shallot, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 oF.

2. Mix the salt and water.

3. Place a 1/4 inch layer of the mixture on the bottom of a baking sheet.

4. In the emptied belly of the snapper (or other fish of choice), place the lemon, thyme, shallots and garlic. Place it whole on top of the layer of salt.

5. Cover the fish with a 1/2 inch layer of the salt mixture, making sure to create an even crust.

6. For a 2lb fish, cook for 25-30 minutes at 400 oF.

7. Serve with grilled asparagus, and baby potatoes, if desired.

La Papillotte

For my first blog post, I figured I’d keep it simple. A delicious recipe and a promise: there will be more to come.

If there is any recipe that can be light and comforting at the same time, it is this fish en papillotte. It’s easy to customize; green olives, capers and fennel are all great choices. I made this one with marinated artichoke hearts, shallots, thyme and cherry tomatoes. The thyme can also be substituted with whatever herb you have on hand.

Haddock ‘en Papillotte’

(Ingredients listed for one papillotte)

Ingredients:

1 fillet of haddock

2 small shallots, sliced

½ marinated artichoke heart, sliced

4 cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 sprig of thyme

salt

pepper

drizzle of olive oil

Directions:

1. Layer the vegetables on a sheet of parchment paper, placed on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

2. Place the fish on top, season again with salt, pepper and olive oil. Sprinkle the thyme.

3. Fold the parchment onto itself, and crimp the edges together, so that the package is tightly sealed.

4. Cook in a 400oF oven, for 12-15 min, or until the papillotte has inflated and the fish is just cooked.

5. Serve alone, or with sauteed baby potatoes.