Fried Or Grilled Fish With Tomatillo Sauce Recipes

FRIED WHOLE FISH WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim cilantro at the point where it becomes more stem-y than leafy; set leaves with tender stems aside for serving. Coarsely chop about 1/2 cup worth of stems and place in a blender along with tomatillos, pickled jalapeños, and pickling liquid. Purée until smooth; taste and season sauce with salt and more pickling liquid if desired.
• Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Transfer fish to a cutting board and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. With a sharp knife, make slashes crosswise on a diagonal along the body of the fish every 2" on both sides, cutting all the way down to the bone. Season fish generously inside and out with salt.
• When the oil is hot-it should be shimmering, and when you drop a small piece of tortilla into the oil it should begin sizzling immediately-grip the fish firmly by the tail and carefully lower, head first, into skillet, making sure to lay it down away from you. (If the tail sticks out of the pan a bit, it's not a huge deal.) Fry until flesh on bottom side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. While the fish is frying, use a metal spoon to baste the inside of the fish's head with a bit of hot oil periodically. Use tongs and a fish spatula to carefully turn fish over. Fry until flesh on second side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and season both sides with more salt.
• Pour tomatillo sauce onto a rimmed platter and gently place fish on top. Tuck reserved cilantro into the cavity between the fish's head and body and around the fish. Serve with tortillas.

GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the swordfish steaks in half. Wipe them dry with paper towels and coat them on both sides with the olive oil. Set aside.
• Make the sauce. Boil the garlic for 10 minutes. Peel the cloves, mash them and set aside. Chop the tomatillos coarsely and put them in a saucepan with the chilies, sugar, wine and vinegar. Cook until soft, stirring frequently. Add the garlic. Taste to see if more sugar or vinegar is needed and season with salt and pepper. Add the butter to thicken the sauce.
• Pour the sauce into a food processor with the garlic cloves and add the coriander leaves. Puree, taste and correct seasoning. Set aside.
• Preheat broiler or coals. Broil the fish steaks six inches from the heat for about five minutes on each side or until cooked. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce.
• To serve, pour some sauce on each of four individual plates. Put the steaks on top and sprinkle with coriander leaves.

TOMATO RELISH FOR GRILLED FISH

Steps:

• In a pot combine all ingredients. Cover and simmer about an hour. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Tomatillo relish can be stored in the refrigerator up to a week. To serve, line a large platter or serving plates with relish and top with grilled fish fillets. Or serve as a condiment with cold meats. Garnish with grilled scallions.

GRILLED WHOLE FISH WITH ROASTED TOMATO-CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Line heavy large skillet with foil. Place tomatoes and chiles in skillet; cook over medium-high heat until skins begin to blister and blacken in spots, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes for tomatoes and 10 minutes for chiles. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Peel tomatoes; transfer to processor. Add chiles, onion, and garlic. Blend until coarse puree forms. Transfer sauce to bowl. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and salt. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For fish:
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Rinse fish inside and out with cold water; pat dry. Open fish flat, like a book. Rub fish inside and out with oil; sprinkle inside with oregano, salt, and pepper. If grilling, place fish, opened flat, in grill basket. If broiling, place fish, opened flat, on oiled rimmed baking sheet. Grill or broil fish just until opaque in center, about 6 minutes per side.
• Using spatula, transfer fish to platter. Sprinkle with lime juice; serve with tomato sauce and warm corn tortillas.

FISH TACOS WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler to high.
• Arrange garlic, tomatillos, and jalapeño in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Broil 3 minutes on each side or until blackened. Combine tomatillo mixture, cilantro stems, mayonnaise, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a mini food processor or blender; blend until smooth.
• Combine cabbage, juice, and oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 2 minutes. Turn fish over; cook 1 minute.
• Working with 1 tortilla at a time, heat tortillas over medium-high heat directly on the eye of a burner for about 15 seconds on each side or until lightly charred. Arrange half of a tilapia fillet in center of each tortilla; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage mixture, about 1 1/2 tablespoons tomatillo mixture, and about 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro leaves.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler or coals for the chicken. Wipe the chicken dry with paper towels and squeeze on the juice of the lime or lemon. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the garlic in its skin until soft (about 10 minutes). Peel.
• Meanwhile, grill the chicken until cooked. While it is cooking make the sauce. Chop the tomatillos and place them in a skillet with the chili, sugar, wine and vinegar. Cook until soft, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the garlic and mash into the sauce. Pour the mixture into a food processor. Add the coriander leaves (setting a few aside for garnishing) and puree. Pour the mixture into a saucepan.
• When the chicken is cooked, place on a serving dish. Heat the sauce, and swirl in the butter. Pour into a sauceboat and sprinkle with remaining coriander. Serve separately.

PAN-FRIED TILAPIA WITH TOMATILLO RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack at about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with cooking spray. Place the pepper pieces cut sides down onto the prepared baking sheet. Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the pepper has blackened and blistered, 5 to 10 minutes. Place the blackened pepper pieces into a bowl, and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow the pepper to steam as it cools, about 20 minutes. Once cool, remove and discard the skins.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the tomatillos until softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and mix in the garlic. Cook and stir until the garlic is softened, about 1 minute. Place the hot tomatillos into a blender, and add the roasted red pepper, parsley, rice vinegar, and honey. Blend the sauce until smooth, and set aside.
• In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, chili powder, and dried oregano. Sprinkle the fish fillets with salt and black pepper, and dredge in the flour mixture until coated.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish until browned, 2 to 3 minutes; carefully flip the fish over and cook on the other side until the meat is opaque and slightly flaky and the fish has browned, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer fish to a serving platter. Squeeze the lemon halves over the fish, and serve with sauce. If sauce has cooled, pour into a microwave-safe bowl, and cook in microwave on medium setting until hot, about 2 minutes.

SALSA DE TOMATILLO

Steps:

• Place tomatillos in a nonreactive saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer until tomatillos soften and begin to burst, about 10 minutes.
• Drain tomatillos and place in a food processor or blender with onion, garlic, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, salt and pepper. Blend to desired consistency.

SAUTéED FISH FILLETS WITH AVOCADO AND TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the avocado sauce. Cover and refrigerate. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Cook the fish about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until it is golden brown on the outside, opaque but still moist inside, and just barely flakes when tested with a fork. Serve hot, with the sauce spooned on top. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Pass the remaining sauce at the table.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.