Make Room for Mexican!

Even since I purchased my Spanish and Mexican cookbooks, I've had culinary tunnel vision.  But when I wind up cooking dinners like the one I made, I can't bring myself to think it's a bad thing!  Using a few simple, fresh ingredients, you can whip up a delicious Mexican feast in next to no time.  Most of the ingredients are easy to find, but you may have to search to find chayotes, which are a squash variety native to central America.  If you cannot locate chayote, substitute yellow summer squash.  Serve with seasoned rice.

Baked Snapper
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t. dried oregano
2 whole snapper, cleaned*

Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, garlic, and oregano. Now, make shallow incisions in the bodies of the fish on each side.  Place the fish in a baking dish large enough to accomodate both fish without them touching, then pour the lime juice blend into the fish's cavities and rub into the incisions, as shown in the photo.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  Serve with Veracruz salsa.   

* You can also use fillets of firm whitefish, such as cod or tilapia, if you don't want to use whole fish.  If the fillets are less than 1 inch thick, reduce cooking time to 20 minutes. 

Veracruz Salsa
generous splash olive oil
2 fresh serrano chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
2 shallots, sliced into thin strips
4 tomatoes, diced
1/2 c. picked jalapenos
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 cup green pimiento-stuffed olives
generous grind fresh black pepper
salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chiles, garlic, bay leaves, and shallots, and cook until the shallot has softened, stirring intermittently.  Next, add the tomatoes, jalapenos, and cinnamon.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are no longer firm.  Now, add the olives and salt and pepper, and cook just until the olives are heated through.  Serve over baked fish.  This is also delicious added to rice.  　

Chayote Salad
2 chayotes, peeled and halved
2 tomatoes, diced
1 shallot, sliced into thin strips
3 T. olive oil
3 T. white wine vinegar
1 t. dijon mustard
1 t. anise seeds
salt and finely ground black pepper to taste

Boil the chayotes for 5-10 minutes, until the flesh has softened up a bit.  Let cool, then dice.  Combine the diced chayote and all remaining ingredients in a large glass bowl.  Serve cold.  　

Stinging Margaritas　
1/2 cup tequila
1 cup Simply Limeade
splash Triple Sec
1 serrano chile, halved
kosher salt mixed with a dusting of cayenne, to rim glasses

Combine all ingredients except salt in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes.  Shake for 30 seconds, then pour into margarita glasses rimmed with the spiced salt.  Recipe serves two. 

Oh, Snapper!

Farewell, fish-free food.  I have enjoyed my vegetarian and vegan recipes, but I've also craved seafood.  Yesterday, I trekked to the North End to pick up a half-dozen oysters and a slice of salmon from Mercato del Mare.  It felt great to be back!  Another customer was in the store inquiring about snapper, and I instantly erased the salmon from my mind and started building a list of ingredients to go with a nice, fresh piece of snapper. 

First ingredient?  Capers.  I have always used bottled capers in brine; I decided that today was the day I'd try capers packed in salt, which are said to have more flavor and a better texture.  I purchased a tub at Salumeria Italiana, and discovered that the rumors are true.  Salt-packed capers aren't much more expensive than capers in brine.  They should be rinsed before use (unless you're using them in a sauce where salt is called for - then use as is and omit extra salt), but this is not time consuming.  If you can find them, use them. 

The other ingredients I planned to use are things I already had at home, like parsley and oranges, so I decided to head back to the apartment.  That's when I walked by a small gelato shop - this place was tiny; if I had been walking with a purpose I may not have even noticed it...I literally stopped dead in my tracks, walked backwards a few steps, and realized that yes, I had in fact seen gelato.  I felt like Chunk when his rant about his frustration with the other Goonies was cut short by his discovery of the Fratelli's ice cream freezer.  I wish I knew the name of the place where I purchased my gelato - I'll get it next time.  If you can't wait, it's on the corner of Hanover and Cross Street right next to the Citizens ATM.  To my delight, they'll put two different flavors in the same cup, which saved me from having to decide between hazelnut and pistachio.  Each flavor was delightfully rich.  The pistachio contained tiny chunks of real pistachios, while the hazelnut was more generous with the nuts - hazelnut halves swam about and added a pleasant crunchy surprise!  I did not care that it was too cold out to be eating gelato, I sat down on a park bench, people watched, and savored every spoonful.  Note to self - don't hold a paper cup in your bare hand on a cold day, grab more napkins next time and insulate! 

Today, I made the snapper, along with a batch of seasoned rice.  This meal was unbelievably satisfying, and the zesty citrus and the clean, fresh flavor of the parsley led my tastebuds to believe summer was still alive and kicking.  Sometime this winter, when it's been blustery and gray for weeks on end, I will make this recipe to remind myself of warmer days.

Broiled Snapper with Citrus-Parsley Pesto

1/2 cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
zest of 2 oranges
1.5 T. salt-packed capers, chopped (do not rinse)
2 T. olive oil
1/4 t. coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 snapper fillets, skin removed

Combine all ingredients except the fish in a small bowl, mix well to form consistent paste, and set aside for at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend.

Prepare the broiler on high heat.  Place each slice of fish in the center of a square of aluminum foil.  Spread each slice generously with the pesto, then fold up the edges of the foil to form a package. 

Broil for 15 minutes.  During the last two minutes of cooking, open up the package so that the pesto is exposed to the heat.  Let it start to brown a little, but do not let it burn.  Remove from oven and let sit for 3-5 minutes.  Serve with seasoned rice. 

Seasoned Rice

2 cups freshly cooked rice
1 T. Goya Adobo with Bitter Orange seasoning
1 T. olive oil

Combine the Goya seasoning and the olive oil with the cooked rice.  Fluff and serve.