A Mexican Fish Feast (8 February 2000)
This is a very fun and tasty meal, despite the work involved. It was great food, especially since I don’t mind kitchen work. This was written before I discovered that swordfish is a species on the edge of endangerment. There are Internet sites for learning about this issue. Here’s one of them. Richard
A Slightly Pico Jicama, Bean and Fruit Salad
3/4 cup dried black beans
1/4 cup dried red beans
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground 4-colour peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large chipotle
Put all ingredients into a pot large enough and cover with one inch plus a bit of bottled water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours. Add more water during cooking, if required. Remove chipotle and drain beans.
1 papaya, peeled, deseeded and diced
1 mango, peeled, deseeded and diced
1 medium ripe tomato, diced
1 small jicama, peeled and diced
2 fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed, deseeded and minced
1 poblano chile, stemmed, deseeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, deseeded and diced
Fold beans into the above ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together the following ingredients:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon dry sherry
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle the dressing onto the bean mixture and toss well. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to marry the flavours.
Tip: papaya seeds can be dried, ground, and used as a natural meat tenderizer / flavour enhancer. Papaya seeds have a peppery aroma and taste. Down with MSG!
Salsa for Swordfish
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
6 tomatillos
2 jalapeño chiles
1 (ripe, if possible) poblano chile
Roast all above ingredients in a 350° oven until softening. The poblano finishes first, followed by the tomatoes, the tomatillos, and the jalapeño chiles last. Watch them closely, as they should not be scorched. When each is done, remove seeds and stems from chiles and drop tomatoes and tomatillos straight into the blender. The chiles can go there, too.
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground 4 colour peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the above 4 ingredients to the blender, then purée the whole mess. This will create a liquid mixture. Gently sauté on medium-low heat until sizzling and reduced in quantity and liquidity (make it act as a salsa). Pour into a small bowl, cover, and set aside until everything else is complete.
Swordfish Steak
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 green onions, diced
5-ounce swordfish steak, at least 3/4-inch thick
Whisk above ingredients together, then marinade swordfish in the mixture for about 30 minutes. Place the filet on a racked baking dish and pour any remaining marinade over the fish. Bake the fish in a 400° oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until perfect.
Pan-Fried Sole Filets
2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4-6 tablespoons corn meal
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 tablespoons pasilla molido
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
6-8 ounces fresh sole filets
Mix dry ingredients thoroughly. Cut fish into manageable pieces, then dip in egg followed by dredging in dry mixture. Fry in a hot pan containing about 1/4 cup olive oil. Drain in a warm oven on paper towel.
Serve this fish feast with 4 hot tortillas, two for each diner.
