Jono’s Wild-Cod Fish Tacos Feast

My housemate Jono makes excellent food. Here’s the approximate outline of a dinner he put together at our place as a thank-you for a friend. Tangy lemon and garlic flavors predominate, offset by the the mild buttery flavor of the fish & its beurre blanc; the sweet, mildly rich flavors of the salad; and the denser texture of the Mexcian black beans. This has “a lot going on” and takes a bit of prep time, but each step is easy and the result is fantastic.

Feeds 5 or 6. No “do-or-die measurements here because Jono does stuff by instinct, so just go with the flow. Start an hour and a half ahead of time if you don’t have help, & if you’re doing a shopping list here, don’t forget to get the stuff hidden under the links to the Mexican Beans recipe and the salad recipe.

Important: Do the beets (see salad) and the beans 1 day ahead.

A. The Tacos:

→ Item 1: Fish – Wild Cod in Lemon-Pepper “Beurre Blanc”

Sharp & mellow flavors in the marinade make a beurre-blanc-esque sauce for the cod.

• 2 1-lb packages frozen wild Alaskan cod, thawed
• up to 1 tsp reshly ground black pepper
• up to 1 tsp Hungarian smoked paprika (we used Szeged, which has a mildly bitter flavor, but McCormick is fine)
• 5-8 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (or just sliced ultra-thin)
• ~1/8 to 1/4 c lemon juice
• 1 stick butter

Lay the fish out flat (not stacked) in a glass baking dish and rub with pepper and paprika, then cover with the garlic. Sprinkle liberally with lemon juice until soaked. Set aside to soak in the flavors while you do the kale, then the salad (below). Chop the cilantro & onion (below).

Heat olive oil or peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, then lay marinaded fish in it to sautee. Turn over twice, cooking evenly. Remove from pan, put fish in a shallow bowl, and pour marinade into butter gradually, whisking, and allowing sauce to reduce by half. Pour into a small cup or bowl for drizzling.

Assemble: On a corn tortilla, add kale and fish, top with cilantro & onion, and drizzle a bit of the sauce over it all.

→ Item 2: Kale

• 5 c purple kale

Douse liberally with up to 1/3 c lemon juice (just until visibly soaked), then sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Rub between your fingers — kale is normally bitter and thick, but this process helps break down the fibers, softening the texture and flavor both.

→ Item 3: Cilantro & Onion

• 1 yellow onion, chopped finely
• ~1/4 c to 1/2 c fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix, to your preference

→ Item 4: Corn Tortillas

• 2 packages organic corn tortillas

B. The Mexican Beans:

Jono makes his own brand of Mexican black beans that involve a bay leaf, fresh ginger, onion and garlic, but this simple version is fine.

C. The Salad:

• Spinach Salad with Fennel, Beets, Toasted Walnuts, and Balsamic-Lemon-Pomegranate Dressing

 

Spinach Salad with Fennel, Beets, and Balsamic-Lemon-Pomegranate Dressing

My roommate Jono makes this; it’s sweet and tangy and has a ton going on. the body of the spinach, cheese, and nuts, and the richness of the beets and pomegranate flavors lend complexity to the sweeter notes.

• 2 red beets, roasted (or 1/3 to 1/2 of a can)
• 1 package baby spinach
• 1 /2 package mache or spring greens
• 4 inches fennel bulb, halved and sliced as thin as possible
• 1/2 – 1 c walnuts, chopped a bit (not too much) and toasted in a small saucepan (no oil) until they start to smell like toast and just barely change color
• 1 – 1 1/2 c slices of tangerines (about 3 tangerines)
• 1 1/2 small fuji apple, cored, sliced into 1/8 slices, and then sliced thinly
• 1/3 cup (about 3 inches) good-quality, firm, crumbly bleu cheese (should have a musty odor when broken)

Ahead of time, roast beets (cut off greens 1 in away from tops, place in a Pyrex or stoneware dish that has a lid, drizzle with olive oil, and roast, covered, on 350° for 1 hr – 1:20)

Chop all other salad ingredients; toss; top with dressing (below) and several turns of freshly ground black pepper; toss again.

For dressing, whisk together “to taste” these ingredients in a jar and then “shake the shit out of it” (or place in food processor):

• 3/4 c olive oil
• 1/4 c balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• barely a pinch of sea salt
• 2 tsp pomegranate molasses
• lemon juice to taste (1-2 Tbsp)
• 1-2 Tbsp stone-ground mustard (something spicier – stone-ground with horseradish is fine)
• 2 tsp honey (or agave nectar)

Curried Carrot & Quinoa Soup

I (a) like curry, and (b) feel a little under the weather, and this turned out to be a pretty excellent feel-better soup. Basically, it’s chicken noodle soup for the vegetarian.

The heat and spice help you cough more and clean things out, and it feels good in your tummy, but the cayenne pepper & garlic here also have some mild benefits in terms of improving bloodflow, assisting digestion, minimizing inflammation, and heling to boost the immune system. Hey, every little bit helps.

The quinoa is optional; a good source of protein, it’s also the noodle equivalent in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cups dry quinoa (half normal, half red quinoa is ideal) – optional
• 3 Tbsp peanut (or other vegetable) oil
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds (I used yellow mustard)
• 1/2-1 tsp curry powder (I used the Spice Hunter “hot curry blend;” Madras works as well, but if you use that or “whatever” curry powder, cut back a bit on the honey or increase the cayenne, as you like)
• 1 1/2 inch cube (about 1 Tbsp) fresh ginger root, peeled and grated (or you can get 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the non-sugar-coated candied stuff and mince it fine)
• 1 clove garlic (more if you’re really sick and/or like garlic), minced finely