RED SNAPPER
MINI-TACOS
with Mango Salsa and Guacamole
MAKES 18 MINI-TACOS 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Most fish tacos are made with fish that is either grilled, or battered and fried. My favorite version follows, where the snapper filling is escabeche-style—sautéed and marinated in a chile-lime vinaigrette. The mini-taco shells definitely provide a wow factor, but you can also just fry the whole tortillas, and layer the taco fillings on top, tostada-style.
SNAPPER FILLING
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 skinless red snapper, perch, or tilapia fillets, about 6 ounces each
1 tablespoon sambal oelek or other Asian chili paste
1½ teaspoons pure ground ancho chile
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
CHIPOTLE CREAM
½ cup sour cream or Mexican crema
1 canned chipotle in adobo, minced
Pinch of pure ground ancho chile
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
MANGO SALSA
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into ⅛-inch dice
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch dice
⅓ cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon pure ground ancho chile
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
GUACAMOLE
1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 Roma (plum) tomato, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 teaspoons seeded and minced jalapeño
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
TACOS
18 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil, for the tortillas
Lime wedges, for serving
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Special Equipment: 3-inch round cookie cutter; 6 small (½-inch-wide) cannoli forms
1. To make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot but not smoking. Add the fish and cook, carefully turning once to avoid breaking the fillets, until lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes.
2. Mix the sambal oelek, ground ancho, and salt together. Spread generously over the fish (don’t worry if some of it spills into the skillet) and continue cooking until the fish is barely opaque when flaked with the tip of a small knife, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice and cilantro. Let the fish cool completely in the liquid. (The snapper and its liquid can be transferred to a shallow dish, covered, and refrigerated for 1 day.)
3. To make the chipotle cream: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. (The cream can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.)
4. To make the mango salsa: Combine all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl, seasoning to taste with salt. (The salsa can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
5. To make the guacamole: Combine all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl, seasoning to taste with the salt. (The guacamole can be covered, with plastic wrap pressed directly on the guacamole surface, for up to 4 hours.)
6. To make the tacos: Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 18 rounds from the tortillas (see Note). Pour enough vegetable oil to come about ¾ inch up the sides of a heavy, deep skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place near the skillet. Have ready 6 small (½-inch-wide) cannoli forms. (If you have more forms, use them, but if you only have 6, they can be reused after they cool.)
7. Working with one tortilla round at a time, use kitchen tongs to dip a round in the oil just until it softens, about 3 seconds. Transfer to the paper towels. Place a cannoli form across the center of the round. Let the round cool slightly, and fold up the sides to make a taco-shell shape. Holding the round and mold together with the tongs, transfer the shell to the hot oil and fry until the shell holds its shape around the form, about 15 seconds. Let go of the shell, and continue deep-frying until the shell is golden brown, about 30 seconds more. Return to the paper towels. (With practice, this operation will take less than a minute per shell, and you can do more than one at the same time.) Let cool. Slide the warm form out of the shell. (The shells can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 6 hours.)
8. Drain the fish and discard the marinade. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the fish and cook, turning once, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat. Smear about ½ cup of the guacamole over the fish and set aside to warm the guacamole, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and use two forks to break the fish mixture into bite-sized pieces.
9. Divide the fish filling among the taco shells. To each taco, add about 1 tablespoon of the salsa and a drizzle of the cream. Transfer to a platter, add the lime wedges, and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve immediately, with any remaining salsa, guacamole, and cream on the side.
Note: You will have tortilla scraps from cutting out the mini-taco shells. Just cut them into irregular chip-sized pieces, fry them up, and salt lightly. Serve the chips along with the tacos and any leftover guacamole and salsa.
Seared Tuna
with FRIED BLACK RICE and
SPICY MISO SAUCE
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Here’s a way to dress up your basic tuna dish with exciting Asian flavors and unexpected color. Black rice, which has a distinctly nutty flavor, is such an easy and underutilized ingredient; it is a beautiful contrast against the crimson center of the sliced tuna. The dramatic presentation will surely impress your guests. Remember that all fried rice must be made with cold rice, or it will clump.
FRIED BLACK RICE
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 cup forbidden rice (also called Chinese black rice)
¼ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar (see Note)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
Kosher salt
4 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 small Shanghai (baby) bok choy, cored and thinly sliced crosswise
SPICY MISO SAUCE
¼ cup (2 ounces) silky (soft) tofu
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar (see Note)
1 tablespoon white (shiro) miso
2½ teaspoons sambal oelek or other Asian chili paste
¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
TOGARASHI-SEARED TUNA
2 teaspoons shichimi togarashi (see Chef Talk, here)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 sashimi-grade tuna steaks, each about 5 ounces and 1 inch thick
1 red radish, sliced paper thin on a mandoline or plastic V-slicer (optional)
1. To make the fried rice: A few hours before frying the rice, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring often, until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until it feels heavier in the spoon, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and vinegar, increase the heat to high, and cook until the liquids evaporate to 1 tablespoon, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups of the water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Simmer until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (If the liquid has evaporated before the rice is tender, add about ¼ cup boiling water and keep cooking.) Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain the rice, if necessary. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Set the mushrooms and bok choy aside while you make the sauce.
2. Meanwhile, to make the miso sauce: Process the tofu, lime juice, vinegar, miso, and sambal oelek in a blender until smooth. With the blender running, gradually add the oil through the hole in the lid to make a smooth dressing. Do not add salt—the miso is salty enough. Pour into a small bowl. (The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
3. To finish the rice, heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the mushrooms and bok choy and stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender, about 1 minute. Add the rice and remaining 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring often, until the rice mixture is hot, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Spread the rice on a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
4. To sear the tuna: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Mix the togarashi spice and salt together in a small bowl. Season the tuna all over with the spice mixture. Add the tuna to the skillet and cook until the underside is seared, about 2 minutes. Turn and sear the other side of the tuna, about 2 minute more. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and let stand for 2 minutes.
5. Cut the tuna across the grain into ½-inch slices. Fan the slices over the rice, sprinkle with the radish, if using, and serve with the miso sauce on the side.
Note: Unseasoned rice vinegar is the most common kind at both supermarkets and Asian grocers. Watch out and don’t buy seasoned rice vinegar, which includes sugar and salt for flavoring warm rice to make sushi.