Crispy Fish Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Do you ever have those days where everything just makes you mad? Mad that your AC went out during a Texas summer, mad that you're stuck in this crappy apartment, mad that there wasn't perfect lighting during a photoshoot (even during the golden hour), mad at your job, mad at yourself - I have been having many a mad days. But they usually feel a little less crappy when the dinner you make turns out jusssst right.

Our life is kind of in a weird limbo right now, uncertain whether or not we should chase our dream of venturing out to the Pacific Northwest or endure another year in Houston. Either option involves moving and packing and new job finding which of course comes with it's own little bothers.

Lately I've been taking all my stress out on cooking and baking all the things (I've just been to lazy and hot to blog about them). I saw this fish salad on Pinch of Yums Blog and I HAD to try it out, it looked so fresh and tasty for the summer times. I prepared mine a little differently and breaded the fish with panko bread crumbs to make it extra crispy and used sunflower seeds in place of pepitas because I happen to have them on hand but you could go pretty crazy with the garnishes.


Crispy Fish Salad

Recipe inspired by Pinch of Yum

serves 3-4 depending on hunger level

For the Slaw...
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup sour cream, Greek yogurt, or mayo
3-4 cups shredded purple and green cabbage

1.Pulse the slaw ingredients (in order, starting with oil and ending with lime juice) until chopped/chunky. Add the sour cream and pulse again until just combined (you don't want it totally smooth green - just like an herb-loaded creamy sauce). Toss the sauce with the cabbage. Let it sit in the fridge while you prep the other ingredients.

For the Fish Taco Bowls...
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 lb. cod or other white fish
1/2 cup flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tsp EACH cumin and chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 TBS olive oil
1 egg, beaten
avocado, sunflower seeds, queso fresco, lime wedges, or other extras for serving

1. In a bowl add the cumin and chili powder to the flour. Pat the fish dry with paper towels, toss in the seasoned flour, then egg wash, then panko breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. And add to the hot pan, frying for a few minutes on each side. When the fish is golden brown, remove from pan and sprinkle with the salt.

2.Plate each dish with a scoop of quinoa, a few pieces of fish, a scoop of cilantro lime slaw, and avocado or any other extra toppings you like. Serve with lime wedges and additional salt as needed.

Fish Tacos With Red Cabbage, Mango, and Chipotle Sauce (Inspired by The Hobbit Cafe)

So my quest continues for the best fish taco in the Houston area...

What determines THE BEST fish taco you might ask? Well for me it has to have these three essential things:
1) A delicious sauce
2) The fish must be cooked/seasoned well
3) A balance of flavors/textures
The best one I have had so far in my taco journey is the one from Hobbit Cafe, the fish was on point, the chipotle sauce was slightly spicy and the mango salsa added some sweetness - it was awesome! I am not ashamed to admit I have ordered these things three times...in a row.

I finally decided to make some tacos of my own, partially from being inspired but mostly due to withdrawals. You could mix some diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro in with the mango to make a salsa if you're feeling extra fancy but I personally just like the mango bits - it's up to you.

Fish Tacos

serves 4-5

Package of corn tortillas, grilled
I use Swai because of it's light flavor and flaky texture (2 fillets) but you could really use any type of white fish (Swai fillets are large so if you're using a smaller white fish you might have to use 4 fillets)
Seasoning mix:
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
salt + pepper
1 TBS olive oil

1.Make sure fish is dry then mix spices together and rub both sides of fish down.
2.Heat oil on medium high heat in saute pan. Cook fish 3-4 min. on each side then gently flake apart for filling

Filling...
1 mango, diced small
1 cup chopped red cabbage
fresh lime for garnish

Chipotle Sauce...
1/2 cup mayo
2 tsp fresh lime juice
tsp honey
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch of cumin

Mix together to make a sauce. To assemble, take tortilla and cover with a thin layer of sauce, followed by fish, cabbage, mango, and more sauce.

If you know of a taco place I need to check out in the Houston area let me know!

Polish Fish Cakes Over Asian Broccoli Slaw

Looking through my grandmothers and mothers old cook books, I came across some interesting Polish recipes. Growing up we always incorporated some Polish cuisine because of my heritage on my fathers mothers side. Every Easter we would have kielbasa and hard boiled eggs and New Years would always include pickled herring (which is actually not as horrid as it sounds).

I have made fish cakes before but never ones with potatoes in them. At first I thought that mashed potatoes wouldn't make an ideal texture for fish cakes, the key is you have to mash the potatoes extra "dry" so they form a light and fluffy consistency, this alone acts as the binder so you don't need any bread crumbs or egg (we save that for the outside). The result is a crispy outer edge with a moist flaky inside. I wanted to pair this with something light, so I decided to go the salad route and serve it with some Asian slaw. The acidity and added texture made for one delectable bite!

Polish Fish Cakes Over Broccoli Slaw

serves 3-4

2-3 large fish fillets, you can either use cod, haddock, or Swai
1/2 cup milk (give or take)
2 dried bay leaves
1 medium sized russet potato, peeled and boiled until tender, and cooled
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 TBS fresh white flatleaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

for breading procedure...
1 egg
flour (to shape cakes)
1 cup breadcrumbs (plain)
3-4 TBS vegetable or sunflower oil, for shallow frying

1.Lay the fish and bay leaves in a frying pan. Pour over just enough milk to barely cover the fish. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 3 mins. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 mins to gently finish cooking the fish. Lift the fish out of the milk with a slotted spoon and put on a plate to cool.

2.In a mixing bowl, mash cooled potatoes with a fork, you should have a light, dry fluffy mash. Season with salt and pepper, then add lemon zest and parsley.

3.Drain off liquid from the fish, grind some pepper over it, then flake it into big chunks into the pan of potatoes. Using your hands, gently lift the fish and potatoes together so they just mix. You'll only need a couple of turns, or the fish will break up too much. Put to the side and cool.

4.Meanwhile prep the breading station. Beat the egg in a large mixing bowl, then place the bread crumbs on a large plate. Carefully shape fish cakes with hands (you might want to dredge hands in flour first so the cakes won't stick), one by one, sit each cake in the egg, and brush over the top and sides so it is completely coated. Sit the cakes on the crumbs, patting the crumbs on the sides and tops so they are lightly covered. Transfer to a plate, cover and chill for 30 mins (or up to a day ahead).

5.Heat the oil in a large frying pan. To test when ready, drop a piece of the dry breadcrumbs in - if it sizzles and quickly turns golden brown, it is ready to use. Fry the fish cakes over a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side or until crisp and golden. Serve on top of slaw.

Broccoli Slaw

I sort of cheated with this one, I bought this pre-portioned brand at the store, but sometimes all you can find is the plain slaw and in that case I buy sunflower seeds, craisins, and ginger miso dressing and simply toss.

I also have a home made recipe HERE

Parmesan Encrusted Swai Paired with Caramelized Sprouts, Savory Sweet Potato Mash, and Parmesan Tuiles

I remember about two years ago I decided that I was going to try going vegan for one week to see how I liked it. I have heard from family and friends that have done so about how much more energy they have along with visual improvements in the body/skin. Well, let's just say it was the longest week of my life, and I knew right then that I could never be vegan, not because of my dislike for tofu or "raw" foods but because of my undying love of cheese.

Yes, that's right, good ol pungent, stinky, glorious cheese. As if freshly grated Parmesan couldn't get any better, I decided to make tuiles, which is french for incredibly delicious slightly bunt cheese wafers (roughly translated of course) and as if this wasn't enough, I also decided to add cheese to the breadcrumbs in this beautiful Parm crusted Swai. Swai has become my new favorite fish. It's affordable, easy to cook, and it's light moist flaky texture makes it a pleasure to eat and adaptable to many flavor profiles.

For the sides I decided to go for my go-to brussel sprout recipe, it's super easy and creates those little crispy bits that are simply amazing. I also managed to make a sweet potato mash that is savory with a touch of sweetness. By toasting some savory spices and adding a touch of cinnamon and brown sugar it created a perfect balance.

Parmesan Encrusted Swai Paired with Caramelized Sprouts, Savory Sweet Potato Mash, and Parmesan Tuiles

serves 2

For the fish...

2 fillets of Swai
1 egg, beaten with a splash of cream
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 TBS flour
1/4 finely grated Parmesan cheese
vegetable oil (for frying)

1.Put fry pan on medium high heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
2.Place beaten egg and cream mixture in a bowl, in a separate bowl mix flour, panko, and cheese. Wash then pat the fillets dry, dip in egg mixture then breaded mixture and place into the heated oil.
3.Cook for 2-3 min. on each side or until slightly firm to the touch.

For the Sweet potato mash...

2 large sweet potatoes, steamed, peeled, and chopped (I did mine in the microwave)
1/2 a medium sized onion, minced
2 TBS butter
1 TBS yellow curry powder, leveled
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cinnamon
1 TBS brown sugar
1/4 cup milk OR heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

1.Melt butter in a saute pan, add onions and cook until translucent. Add spices and mix for about 2 min. Add milk and stir for about a min before adding the sugar. Simmer on low until sugar dissolves.
2.In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix potato, salt and pepper to taste, and sour cream. Add spice mixture and blend. Depending on the texture you may need to add more milk or sour cream.

For Sprouts...

1 package of fresh brussel sprouts
2 TBS vegetable oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp ground thyme
1 TBS sugar

1.After you've cleaned and cut the sprouts, toss with ingredients and place on a lined pan and place in a 400 degree oven. I cover mine with tin foil for the first 10 min. then uncovered for about 10 more min. until some are brown and crispy.

For Parmesan Tuile

1.Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with a non stick silpat OR tin foil/parchment paper. Take a handful of shredded cheese and make a circle, making sure not to leave any large gaps. Bake for about 5 min. or until cheese starts to brown slightly on the edges. Cool, then carefully lift.

Pecan Encrusted Flounder with Roasted Lemon Thyme Red Potatoes

I am having so much fun with my new herb garden! For starters it's been about a week and I've actually managed to keep it alive! This is a big accomplishment for me, usually I bring home poor helpless plants and smite them withing the first couple of days, despite all my efforts to keep them alive (maybe I kill them with love?...yeah we'll go that).

Included in my garden is lemon thyme, which I had surprisingly never worked with, it resembles regular thyme but with a slight lemon scent. I decided to see how it would roast so I tossed it in with some potatoes last night and the results were tasty! The key to getting super crispy potatoes is a high oven temp, you also want to make sure that you periodically stir the potatoes or you'll have a burnt crispy mess on your hands!

As for the fish, pairing nuts with a mild fish like flounder punches up the flavor while at the same time adding some much needed texture! You do have to option to bake this in place of frying but the fish probably won't get as crispy.

Pecan Encrusted Flounder with Roasted Lemon Thyme Red Potatoes

For the fish...

for 4 fish

4 fresh flounder fillets, cleaned and patted dry
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 TBS flour
salt + pepper
1 egg, beaten
oil for frying

For the potatoes...

4 medium red skinned potatoes, diced
3 sprigs of lemon thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1-2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp yellow curry powder

1.Coat potatoes in oil and spices, place on a lined baking pan and bake on 400 degrees F for about 15-20, taking out to stir occasionally (this ensures even potato crispy yumminess).

2.Heat oil on medium high heat (enough oil to cover to bottom of the pan). Combine nuts, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. In another bowl add the egg. Using a standard breading procedure, use one hand to coat the fish in egg, and another to coat in nut mixture. Carefully place fish in the oil, cooking 3 min. on each side or until golden brown and fish is slightly firm to the touch.

Let's hope the garden lives on! I have my eye on some fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream in the future!