Recipe: Fish or Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp or fish tacos are perfect for an assemble-your-own dinner. Lay out warmed soft tortillas, prepared shrimp or fish, a few different sauces or salsas, shredded cabbage (green cabbage is classic but I like to use very finely shredded red cabbage), and lime wedges and let people fill their own tacos. Here's an assortment of options.

Avocado Sauce makes 1/2 cup. Mix/mash together 1/4 ripe avocado, peeled; a pinch of salt; a few drops of lime juice; 1-2 tablespoons water; and 2 cilantro sprigs, chopped (optional).

Chilies de Arbol Sauce makes 1/2 cup. Pour 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add 1 garlic clove, smashed with the side of a large knife, and cook 4-5 minutes until golden and aromatic. Place in a small food processor. Wearing gloves, seed 1 cup dried chilies de arbol (about 30 chilies), stemmed (unless you want hotter sauce, in which case, leave the seeds), and place in the processor. Process until well pulverized. Add 1/3 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Let stand at least 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or vinegar as necessary.

Tomatillo salsa Whisk 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger, 2 teaspoons cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/8 teaspoon grated zest in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add 1/2 cup diced red onion and cook 2-3 minutes until slightly browned. Add 1 cup diced red bell pepper, 1 cup diced tomatillo, and 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno pepper (with seeds), and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the ginger-vinegar mixture to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes more, until slightly bubbly. Place in a bowl and gently stir in 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro. Season with salt.

Chipotle Cream Heat 1 tsp. oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped roughly, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic and slightly golden. Add 2 chopped scallions and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Place in a small food processor. Add 4-5 chilies in adobo sauce, 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. Mexican crema and 2 tsp. water, and pulse. Add more water as necessary and pulse until sauce is thick and creamy (a few little bumps are fine).

Beer battered and deep fried fish (Baja-style) makes 24 servings, enough for 6 to 8 people
For the batter, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon dried whole Mexican oregano, rubbed to a powder, Kosher salt to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in 1 bottle (12 oz.) cold beer until there are no lumps. Cut 2 pounds firm, meaty fish such as halibut or snapper into finger-shaped pieces and sprinkle them with some lime juice and salt. Pat dry. Dip the pieces into the batter, let the excess drip, and deep fry the battered fish pieces until golden; drain on paper towel-lined rack.

Baked fish makes 2 servings
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place two egg whites in a shallow bowl and lightly beat with a fork. In another shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal or grits seasoned with salt and pepper. Pat dry four 4-oz. servings of white fish, such as tilapia or halibut, and dip each piece of fish first in the egg whites and then dredge in the cornmeal. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning once mid-way through.

Skillet shrimp
Place 24 large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, in a large bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to coat. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 5-6 minutes, turning to ensure that they brown evenly on both sides.

Poblano-corn salsa
Char a fresh poblano pepper over an open gas flame, turning occasionally, until thoroughly blistered on all sides. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and gently scrape off the skin. Halve, stem and seed the pepper. Cut into strips, then dice and place in a bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kernels cut from one large ear of corn and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly charred yet crisp. Add to the bowl with the poblano pepper. Peel and dice 1 small avocado, sprinkle with a little lime juice to prevent it from turning brown, and add to bowl. Add fresh cilantro, season with salt, and toss gently.

Quotable Quote

"Like most street food, a fish taco is paradoxical: Its humble appearance belies its bliss-inducing capabilities.... It's crispy and creamy; it's spicy and salty. It's got that elusive umami (a savoriness from the protein) that satisfies your taste buds and quells your worst hunger. The fish taco is made by placing hot, crispy fried fish on a lightly charred corn tortilla then topping it with a symphony of sauces.... A fiery chilies de arbol sauce contrasts delightfully with a cooling avocado sauce. Then it's topped off with crunchy shredded cabbage and a zippy pico de gallo. It's a gustatory experience as beautiful and eclectic as the place from which it originated, Baja California, Mexico."

- Susan Russo

(Lately, there's been a theme to my food fancies - setting up a little station for people to assemble their own little bundles, such as putting out a bowl of chhole, chopped onions, imli chutney, and yogurt and providing warm pocket pitas to stuff with one's own personalized combination of those components; wrap-your-own summer rolls; fish tacos; roti rolls.... This is kind of fun for people, I think, especially when the weather warms up.)

Recipe: Lychee Royales

Lychee Royales

Mix lychee liqueur and chilled prosecco in a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio, to taste, and pour into a flute with one fresh lychee.

(We made virgin versions of these for the prego ladies, with lychee juice and sparkling water.)

Recipe: Mini Cod Cakes with Harissa Ketchup

Mini Cod Cakes with Harissa Ketchup (makes about 36)
1/2 cup mayonnaise or fresh aioli
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used tarragon mustard)
3/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning (I used a mel ocean picked up from a little epicerie in Geneva)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 lb cod
2 cups organic breadcrumbs or panko
Harissa ketchup
Optional Garnish: thinly sliced fresh cilantro

Bring 4 quarts water to boil with peppercorns to taste, a roughly chopped onion, a few bay leaves, and a lemon sliced into 4 or 5 pieces. Lower cod in inside a strainer such that you can pull it out free of the other ingredients in the water when it's cooked. Pull it out when cooked and let cool and drain.

Whisk together mayonnaise, egg, mustard, seasoning, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Tabasco, then use your hands to mash in the cod when it's at room temperature. Add breadcrumbs to the mixture until you can feel that the mixture can be clumped together. (I think I added one or two tablespoons.)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Put fresh breadcrumbs into a shallow dish. Form 1 heaping teaspoon cod mixture into a 1"-diameter ball, then gently roll in the breadcrumbs to cover and place onto a baking sheet sprayed with grapeseed oil and flatten lightly to form a little cake.

Bake cod cakes in batches in middle of oven until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly and transfer to a platter and top each with about 1 teaspoon harissa ketchup. Garnish with cilantro, if you like.