Tilapia Fish Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

This weekend is what people are calling “San Francisco’s Spring Break.” The weather was incredible. A group of us spent the entire day in Fort Mason park lounging on blankets, sipping white wine out of solo cups and nibbling on grapes and pretzel crisps. I forgot one little thing…sunblock. *Except for my face, thank God.

That’s a lot of exposed skin Ugh.

Alanna (brunette in the stripes) invited me to her client’s family/friends appreciation party at House of Shields for an open bar and Aztec dance performance. Keeping on theme, I made us fish tacos for dinner inspired from this recipe. The mango avocado salsa was a homerun, and would be great served with tortilla chips.

The Aztec dancers were very impressive, and apparently have free Aztec dance classes free to the public twice a week…

The trendy new workout?

Tilapia Fish Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa

2 tilapia filets
1 + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
dash oregano
salt and pepper
lemon or lime juice

1/2 avocado, diced
1 cup frozen mango, thawed and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
handful cilantro, diced
1 green onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper
4 corn tortillas
Greek yogurt (optional)

Pat filets dry and rub with olive oil. Toss together the spices on a plate and coat fish in spice rub. Heat pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and add in fish. Sautee 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Break filets into chunks.

Mix salsa ingredients together in a medium size bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat corn tortillas in pan until warm, and pile with fish, salsa and Greek yogurt (if desired).

Christmas Brunch: Baked Ranchero Eggs with Blistered Jack Cheese and Lime Crema

Fires are the best. That is one of the few shortcomings of my apartment: fireplacelessness. My parents have been great about making one every day I’ve been home.

I’ve repaid them in cooking. And we’ve all benefited the most from Deb and her glorious cookbook. We made yet another one of her recipes for brunch today.

This was one of the happiest marriages of egg, spicy tomato sauce, tortilla strips and cheese I’ve ever met. I will be buying a cast iron skillet just to make this recipe at home.

Before getting into the sauce making and egg baking, I suggest making the tortilla strips so you don’t overbake them and have to make them again. I’m not saying I did this…

The tomato sauce and the eggs reduce over medium heat until it thickens a bit.

Then crack the eggs into the sauce and cook 10-12 minutes longer, until the white starts to set.

Cover with grated cheese and broil for about 2 minutes, then top with chips, cilantro and green onions. Serve with lime crema. Then take a nap!

Baked Ranchero Eggs with Blistered Jack Cheese & Lime Crema

1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
1.5 cups canned tomatoes (fire roasted is best)
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked black beans, drained

3 corn tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste

6 large eggs
3/4 cup jack cheese, grated

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
*sliced avocado (would have been a great addition)

Ranchero sauce: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add jalapeno, tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add to a large cast iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) and stir in black beans. Bring mixture to a simmer for 10 minutes, or until it has reduced slightly

Tortilla strips: On a greased baking sheet, lay out tortillas and brush with oil. Slice into small strips and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until lightly brown.

Crema: In a small bowl, mix together lime juice and yogurt. Refrigerate until serving.

Cook eggs: Once the sauce has thickened slightly, remove from heat and crack eggs carefully into the sauce. Distribute the eggs as evenly as possible, then return to heat and cook in sauce for 10-12 more minutes. Egg whites should be starting to set, but the yolks should still be runny. Turn oven up to broil. Sprinkle cheese over egg mixture and place under broiler for 2 minutes.

To serve: Remove from oven and top with tortilla strips, green onions and cilantro. Scoop crema onto individual servings.

Black Bean Nacho-zza

Using up tortillas is always a struggle for me. Actually, using up bread in general. Since I am now in my last week in my sublet, I am working on using up all of my food. One of my favorite uses of tortillas is to make them into chip-like pizzas – or really flat nachos. In this case, I baked the tortilla by itself briefly to crisp it up, then topped it with black beans, feta, onion and jalapeno and baked it until toasty. I finished it off with diced tomato, avocado, cilantro and hot sauce.

Black Bean Nacho-zza

1 wheat tortilla
1/2 cup black beans
1 tablespoon onions, diced
1 tablespoon jalapeno, diced
2 tablespoons feta, crumbled
1/2 tomato, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
cilantro
hot sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Prick tortilla with fork and bake for 5 minutes until crisp. Remove and crank oven to broil. Top tortilla with beans, onions, jalapeno and feta and place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until toppings are warmed through. Top with remaining ingredients and season with hot sauce, salt and pepper if desired.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana

I was lucky enough to be invited to dinner with Quin’s parents last night to Oyamel, a José Andrés restaurant. It lived up to it’s expectations. They boast their fresh squeezed juices, so I ordered a guava juice and vodka cocktail to go with the spicy, table-side prepared guacamole.

Everyone else at the table ordered the house margarita topped with salt foam.

The menu is made up of small plates so we each ordered 2 or 3 things and passed them around. Up first for me was the fried egg with black bean sauce, house made chorizo, salsa verde and tortilla.

Next, the tuna ceviche with lime marinade, scallions, avocado, toasted pecans, jalapenos and crispy amaranth (don’t know what the amaranth was but it felt like crunchy fish eggs) Pretty sure this was my favorite thing I ordered.

Last but not least, I ordered the grasshopper taco. Yes, grasshoppers, sautéed with shallot, tequila and served in a tortilla with guacamole. Strong flavor and an interesting crunch, but I was having a hard time overcoming the fact that it was tons of little insects. (Taco on the right)

Other dishes around the table were plantain fritters with mole dipping sauce.

A stuffed pepper covered in crema and pomegranate seeds.

And many more…

Some how we found room for dessert and split the coffee ice cream with Mexican cinnamon sugar shortbread chips, milk chocolate coffee sauce and caramelized bananas AND the chocolate custard with chocolate sorbet, passion fruit gelatin, chocolate and pumpkin seed crumble and fresh passion fruit seeds.

The chocolate custard with the passion fruit was out-of-this-world. All of us took a bite and looked at each other like, no way.

To top off the indulgent dinner, we sipped homemade infused cocoa liquer blended with almonds and chilies.

I’m definitely returning to Oyamel, if not just for the desserts and cocktails. José, you know what you’re doing. 

Peach Salsa

Tomorrow is our office’s wild and crazy end-of-fiscal-year party at my boss’s house. I’ve heard rumors of margaritas, karaoke machines, and most importantly, free dinner. I couldn’t pass this opportunity up to make something for the group. 

During my daily blog trolling, this Summer Peach Salsa recipe jumped out at me. It’s easy and yummy and colorful. The trick to the recipe is blanching the peaches to make the skin easier to peel off.

“X” the bottom and throw it in some boiling water for 1 minute, then immediately into ice water.

The skin comes right off! Unless it’s not ripe like one of mine, then its still a pain in the neck to peal.

I bet this would be delicious on top of fish, or in shrimp/fish tacos. But it works just fine with chips.

Recipe:
3 ripe peaches, about 1 pound
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1/4 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1/2 - 1 jalapeno pepper, minced (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint (or more to taste)
Juice from 1/2 lime
Kosher salt, to taste

First you need to peel the peaches. Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Cut a small X into the bottom of each peach. Drop the peaches into the boiling water for approximately 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches and immediately submerge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Gently peel the peaches using your hands or a paring knife (the riper the peach, the easier this will be). Dice the peaches into small cubes.

Combine the chopped peaches, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, mint, and lime juice. Season with a pinch of kosher salt. Chill for one hour to allow flavors to combine and serve immediately.

Vegetable Burrito Bowl

Meatless Thursday.

After a night like last night, it had to be. A bunch of us went to the the Congressional Blues Festival at the National Building Museum. The tickets were only $25 dollars for all you can eat, drink and blues-listen. In theory this sounds awesome, but as usual it was a bit of a let-down. The line for food was 45 minutes to an hour long, which was really my biggest qualm. The food its self wasn’t terrible, but it was all meat. Fried chicken, chicken salad, honey baked ham, ribs, chicken gumbo, with side options of slaw and potato salad. Hence, Meatless Thursday.

I’ve never made burrito bowls, per say, but it’s one of those dishes you can throw in whatever you have in the fridge, top it with salsa, and call it a burrito bowl.

Tonight we have:
rice
black beans
corn
lettuce
bell pepper
cucumber
red onion
white cheddar cheese
salsa
Greek yogurt
tortilla chips

Fish Tacos with Yogurt Sauce

It’s strange to me that when I think back to high school and most of college, I could care less about cooking. I just didn’t do it. Though I’ve been exposed to home cooking my entire life, from the family dinners every weeknight growing up (that I so took for granted), to holidays at my Grandma’s house where she spent (and still spends) most of the day cooking away for Christmas dinner or Easter brunch. I know that’s where I get my appreciation for good home cooked meals, it just took a bit of maturity to really get it. 

Most days I run my dinner plan by my mom first to see what she thinks, or what side dish would go well with a certain dish. Just like yesterday when I said “I want to make fish tacos….what was that yogurt sauce you used to make?” Here it is!

Fish Tacos

Sauce

1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 TBS mayonnaise
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Tacos

Juice of 1/2 lime
2 TBS canola oil
1 lb firm white fish (I used Tilapia)
salt and pepper
6 or so corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage or slaw mix
1 large tomato, chopped

1. Mix together all ingredients for sauce

2. For tacos: Preheat broiler or grill

3. Combine lime juice and oil and spoon onto fish

4. Fry tortillas

5. Cook fish on greased pan for approx 10 minutes or until done

6. Break fish into chunks

7. Assemble tacos--top with sauce, cabbage and tomatoes

Chicken Nachos and DC Adventures

I took full advantage of this spring Sunday. First stop was the Palisades farmer’s market, which is a lot smaller than the Dupont Circle market but with better vendors.

There’s a lot less produce but a lot more prepared foods like chocolates, cheeses, breads, bakery items, and THE BEST BELGIAN WAFFLE STAND. The stand also has paella and turnovers. 

I’m obsessed with it. I wouldn’t shut up about it. These waffles are made on the spot for each order and are doughy and hot with crystalized sugar bits inside the waffle so it’s amazing without any toppings. Just another reason I <3 the Palisades.


Afterwards, Evan and I decided to finally visit the DC Zoo. It’s a magical place (and like most things in DC, would have been even better without the crowds). This little guy greeted us as we walked in.

I must say my favorite animal that I saw – and maybe even of all time – is the Orangutan.

They’re so human-like, it’s great. Sometimes I worry that they get self conscious from having everyone stare at them all the time. Then there were the spooning lizards.

The agile chameleon.

The biggest turtles I’ve EVER seen.

This sweet little monkey who was chomping on a snack and watching everyone very intently.

My second favorite animal, the Gorilla.

They were looking a little bored.

A small mammal with serious personality. I think he was posing for pictures.

We made our way out through the Asia section, where we saw three elephant buddies. They kept huddling up like they were on a football team. Quite precious.
It was a good day in the District. It’s nice when you can get out and take advantage of where you live, so today was a success.
For dinner I made an oldie goldie recipe that I started making in college. Shredded chicken nachos. They never disappoint.

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded
tortilla chips
1/2 can black beans
1/2 can yellow corn
cheddar cheese, grated
avocado, chopped
salsa
green onions
lime

Preheat oven to 400. Squeeze lime juice over shredded chicken. Arrange chips (so the scoops face upwards!) on a sheet pan covered with tin foil, cover with cheese, chicken, beans and corn. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Top with remaining ingredients.

On the side, we had delicious and cheap pineapple. Some people fear buying pineapples because they seem tough to cut. Here are some simple directions for cutting up a pineapple:

Chop off the top, the bottom and the sides of the pineapple.

Cut it into fourths, then remove the hard inner core. Slice lengthwise and cut into cubes.