Citrus Salmon Wrapped In Banana Leaves Recipes

GRILLED SALMON WRAPPED IN LEMON AND BAY LEAVES

Steps:

• Arrange eight 24-inch-long pieces of kitchen string, side by side and 1 1/2 inches apart, on surface. Overlap bay leaves atop strings in rectangle about same size as fish. Top bay leaves with overlapping rows of lemon slices. Sprinkle fish skin with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; place fish, skin side down, on lemon slices. Sprinkle fish flesh with coarse salt and pepper; drizzle with olive oil. Top with overlapping rows of lemon slices, then bay leaves. Tightly tie strings, securing lemon slices and bay leaves to fish. Place fish packet in grilling basket; close basket (basket does not have to close completely in order to support fish). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Chill salmon in basket. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish in basket until just firm to touch and thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 135°F, holding basket sides together to turn fish, about 20 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter, with string knots up. Remove strings, bay leaves, and lemons from top side. Drizzle with oil; serve.

GRILLED BANANA LEAF WRAPPED SALMON

Steps:

• Make the dipping sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Let it sit for the flavors to develop while the fish cooks.
• Preheat the grill. Squeeze the lime juice into a large bowl and throw in the halves. Add the soy sauce, chiles, ginger, cilantro, and mint; season with salt and pepper and give it a good stir. Place the salmon in the center of the banana leaf and stuff it with the lime juice mixture. Fold the banana leaf over the fish to completely encase it and tie closed with kitchen string. Place onto a medium-hot grill. Cook until the fish is cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with the dipping sauce.

FISH WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAVES WITH CHILE RAJAS AND CREMA

Steps:

• Roast chiles on racks of gas burners over high heat, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 10 to 12 minutes. (Or broil chiles on a broiler pan about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.) Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, then let stand 20 minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, peel chiles, discarding stems and seeds (do not rinse under running water as this washes away flavor), and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips.
• Cook onions with salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until onions are tender but still have texture, about 10 minutes. Stir in chiles and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then season with salt.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Unfold banana leaves. Cut off (and reserve) tough center rib that runs along bottom edge of each leaf with kitchen shears. Cut ribs into 12- to 14-inch strips for tying packets. Gently cut leaves into 8 (12-inch) squares, being careful not to split them.
• Slowly run a banana-leaf square across flame of a gas burner, just enough to "melt" outer coating on leaf (it will become quite shiny; if you have an electric stove, hold leaf slightly above burner on moderately high). Place a piece of fish in center of square and season with salt, then top with 1/2 cup rajas and 2 tablespoons crema. Fold 2 sides of banana leaf over fish to enclose it, then fold in opposite sides to form a packet. Tie packet with a strip of banana-leaf rib and transfer to a large baking sheet. Assemble 7 more packets in same manner.
• Bake fish packets in middle of oven 20 minutes, then transfer each to a large plate or shallow soup bowl. Cut ties of packets and open them (leaves are not edible). Drizzle fish with additional crema.
• Available at Latino and Asian markets.

CITRUS SALMON FILLETS WITH SALSA

Steps:

• For salsa, in a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, pineapple, basil, lime juice, shallots, soy sauce, brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cover and chill until serving., Place fillets in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; pour broth into dish. Sprinkle fillets with lemon zest and remaining pepper., Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 10-15 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Serve with salsa.

ASIAN CITRUS SALMON

Steps:

• Finely grate 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze juice from orange; place in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the salmon, soy sauce, onion, oil, garlic and ginger; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and discard marinade., Place salmon on a baking sheet. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; top with almonds.

SWEET CITRUS BAKED SALMON

Steps:

• Cut the lemon, blood orange, and naval orange into halves. Cut 1 half into slices and juice the other half of each.
• Whisk lemon juice, blood orange juice, and navel orange juice together in a bowl with the brown sugar until dissolved.
• Season salmon fillets with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Poke holes into each fillet about 2 inches apart using a fork. Place salmon in a resealable plastic bag and pour juice marinade into bag; coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate salmon in the refrigerator, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place salmon, skin-side down, into a baking dish. Drizzle marinade and champagne over salmon and sprinkle with dill. Arrange lemon, blood orange, and navel orange slices over salmon.
• Bake in the preheated oven until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.

PORK TENDERLOIN IN A SWEET CITRUS SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the marinade: mix together the orange and lime juice, vinegar, piloncillo, garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaves in a bowl.
• Begin to layer the banana leaves in a large baking dish, one by one. Place the first one vertically so it covers the whole dish, leaving the sides hanging over the dish on both ends. Layer the second leaf horizontally so it covers half or so of the dish, with the sides hanging over the dish on both ends. Layer the third one horizontally the the bottom of the baking dish is fully covered with leaves, with extra hanging over the sides to wrap up the meat.
• If you can't find banana leaves, you can use tin foil.
• Place the meat in the middle of the leaf bundle. Pour the marinade on the top and cover the meat with each of the banana leaf layers on all sides. Let it marinate anywhere from 2 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and unwrap the pork from the banana leaves.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat, until it is hot but not smoking. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, place it in the pan, and sear for about 1 to 2 minutes on all sides.
• Place it back in the banana leaves and bundle it back up. Place the wrapped pork into the oven and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven, carefully open up and unfold the banana leaves, tucking them on the sides until you expose most of the meat. Remove the meat from the dish to rest on a cutting board. Pour all the marinade into a sauce pan and set over medium high heat, for about 10 to 15 minutes, to reduce up to 1/3 of its volume.
• Meanwhile, slice the meat at about 1/2" thickness or to your liking. Place the slices on a platter, drizzle some of the sauce on top and serve.