Fish Fajitas

In Boston, we don't get to enjoy summer for very long. It usually doesn't get hot until end of May and by the beginning of September, the heat is usually already gone. That being said, when it gets hot in Boston, it gets unbearable. The last few days have been hot and humid - my least favorite combination. After sweating all day, it's hard to muster up energy to cook and sweat some more in front of the stove. I always try to accumulate recipes that incorporate the freshness of summer with the least amount of time in the kitchen.

I have been obsessed with fish tacos lately. I made it at home once and since then, have been completely hooked. Since I've been making a ridiculous amount of salsa - mango, peaches, pineapples - I wanted to try something a little different. I happened to stumble upon a picture of fajitas on the internet and couldn't wait to rush home and make this. To me, it's another perfect summer dish because it's light and incorporates the delicious corn and peaches that are in season. The lime cilantro sauce adds a nice touch of acidity to balance out the flavors.

The fish I used was Monkfish. If you're unfamiliar with it like I was, I definitely recommend trying it. It was recently on sale at Wholefoods so I thought why not? Turns out, this fish is delicious. It's a meaty fish, but the flavor isn't overpowering. It also stays together well during pan frying and assembling the tacos fajitas. 

I used garlic in my fajitas, but I honestly don't think it matters. It smells nice, but the flavors are so rich anyways, I don't think you'll notice the difference - garlic or not. I'm just programmed to use garlic whenever I stir fry vegetables (even if it's not for an Asian dish) that I expect a phone call from my mother if I ever forget to use it. For those who didn't grow up with mothers for whom garlic was always the first thing to hit the pan, please feel free to omit. 

For the corn, I cut the kernels off the cobb when it was still raw and then threw it in the pan with the onions and bell peppers. If you're lucky and have access to a grill, you can grill the corn first. In terms of the peaches, I only used one. I liked the crunchiness and sweetness the peach offered. Grilled peaches are amazing and if you can, do it. You won't regret it. 

Recipe: 

Serving size: 2 very stuffed people

Fish Fajitas:

Ingredients:

1 lb Monk fish 

2 corn - kernels cut off the cobb

2 bell peppers 

1 medium size onion

1 packet of tortillas

Optional: 1 peach - diced 

1. In a pan on medium heat, add the onions (and garlic). Sautee it in the pan for about a minute or two, then add the bell peppers and corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I also added some cayenne pepper and paprika. Due to the amount of sugars in the corn, you'll probably see some caramelization on the bottom of the pan. I think this just adds a great depth of flavor. Once the bell peppers are cooked, remove the pan from heat. 

2. If you want to add peaches - you can add this a minute or two before taking the pan off the heat. It doesn't take as long to cook and I think the peaches are better when they retain their crunchiness. 

3. Cut the fish into ~1 inch slices and season with salt and pepper. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the fish when the pan is hot. Keep a close eye on the pan since the fish will cook fast. 

4. Take out the tortillas. An easy way to warm them up is to put them on a plate, cover them with a damp paper towel, and place it in the microwave for about a minute. Perfectly warmed tortillas ready to be filled. 

5. Make your fajitas! I like to set everything out on the table and have everyone make their own with whatever combination they like. I usually add a little of the bell pepper/corn/onions, top it off with fish and then add the sauce on top. 

Cilantro Lime Sauce:

I adapted the lime cilantro sauce from OurBestBites. Since I was in a rush, I didn't want to bring out my food processor. Instead I minced all the ingredients instead. I thought the sauce came out fine and I like seeing the bits of cilantro. You can try whichever way you prefer. 

Ingredients: 

Juice of 1 lime

1 cup canola oil (don't use olive oil - the flavor is too strong)

1/2 large shallot 

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

Mince the lime, shallots and garlic. Add all the ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl. Adjust salt and pepper accordingly. Let sit for at least 15 minutes for the flavors to meld. 

-- Please message/ comment with any questions/ thoughts / or post your interpretation of the dish. 

Spring Rolls with peanut hoisin sauce

Spring rolls are pretty much my go to recipe if I want something light and on the healthier end. This is makes a great lunch or dinner in the summer when it's too hot to think about being in the kitchen too long. It also makes a great appetizer for any dinner party. 

Vietnamese food is all about what you have on hand. There are endless combination of what you can put in the rolls and the sauce you can dip it in. I remember childhood dinners where my family and I would sit around and roll endless number of spring rolls. Everyone had to roll their own - there were always competition for who had made the "perfect" roll. 

Traditional spring rolls, at least the way my mom would make them, included greens, herbs, some vermicelli, cucumbers and your choice of shrimp or thinly sliced pork belly. I'm not a fan of vermicelli - I think it's unnecessary carbs. I'd rather cash in my carb credit for some warm bread instead. Because I usually am making spring rolls on the fly, I use whatever greens I have on hand - spinach, arugula, spring greens, lettuce. Yup, they all go in there. The recipe below is a starter recipe - add/ subtract whatever you have on hand that day. It's really that simple.

Getting ready to roll - you to evenly distribute the greens but leave an inch on both sides to tuck over. 

Shrimp spring rolls with peanut hoisin sauce. 

Recipe:

Peanut sauce:

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup peanut butter (I like the crunchy types because it adds some texture to the sauce, but you can use creamy if you want)

2 tbs water

Sriracha or chili optional (I used jalapenos this time)

Combine ingredients and stir! Yes it's that easy. Warm in microwave for ~30 seconds - 1minute to make the ingredients combine better - the sauce will be smoother. Add more peanut butter or hoisin sauce to taste. My usually combination is closer to 1:1.

*If you're feeling fancy that day, mince a clove of garlic. In a small pan on medium heat, sautee the garlic with some vegetable oil (olive oil imparts too strong a flavor) until light golden brown. Then add the hoisin sauce, peanut butter and water. Take the pan off the heat and combine. The garlic adds a nice earthiness and smells amazing.

Spring rolls:

bowl of warm water

rice paper

greens (I use 50:50 spinach and spring greens)

1 cucumber sliced longitudinally into 1 inch strips

shrimp - deshelled and boiled 

1. Dip a piece of rice paper into warm bowl of water - either rotate it or completely immerse it. Remove quickly - you don't it too wet.

2. Lay the wet rice paper on a flat surface - I use a plate. Make sure the rice paper is not folded onto itself and is completely flat. 

3. Arrange a handful of greens on top of the rice paper, towards the top. Add whatever herbs or extra vegetables you like. I like cucumbers for the added crunch - you can use thinly sliced carrots as well. Add shrimp or tofu - spread evenly across your greens.

4. Roll! Roll the top down, then fold in the sides and keep rolling. Use your fingers to tuck in the greens as you go. 

5. Don't place the rolls too close to each other as they'll stick to each other and rip apart - not a fun end to all your hard work.