Pan Fried Fish With Pumpkin Pipian Recipes

PAN FRIED FISH

Steps:

• Heat a heavy pan over medium high heat.
• Season fish on meat side with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge fish in flour and shake off excess. When pan is good and hot, add Canola oil followed immediately by 1 tablespoon butter. As soon as foaming subsides, place fish in pan with the skin side down. Jiggle pan for the first 10 seconds to keep the fish from sticking. Cook until golden crust forms on meat. Carefully turn fish away from you and again jiggle pan for the first few seconds. Cook until skin turns golden brown. Remove to a warm plate.
• Pour out the cooking fat, add remaining butter and quickly fry the capers. Remove pan from the heat, add lemon juice to pan and swirl. Pour sauce over the fish and serve.

PAN-FRIED FISH WITH PUMPKIN PIPIAN

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and toast the pepitas and pecans, tossing frequently, until very fragrant and browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer to a large heavy pot.
• Toast the ancho chiles in the same skillet, pressing them down with a metal spatula to make contact with the skillet, until lightly toasted on both sides, about 30 seconds total. They will burn easily so press down and turn them quickly. Transfer to the pot with the pepitas and pecans.
• Add 4 tablespoons of the oil to the pot with the pepitas, pecans and anchos, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, oregano, cinnamon, cumin and half of the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the stock, pumpkin and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and continue to cook until the seeds and chiles have softened and the flavors have come together, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 20 minutes to cool slightly before blending.
• Working in batches if necessary, carefully blend the mixture until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; stir to combine each batch. Keep warm while you cook the fish.
• Meanwhile, season both sides of the fish with salt and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the fish in a single layer, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 2 minutes; flip and cook the other side, undisturbed, until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Add the butter, chiles de arbol and remaining garlic to the same skillet and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the garlic and butter just begin to brown, about 60 seconds. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl.
• For each serving, spread about 3/4 cup of the pipian on a plate, top with a fish fillet, a chile de arbol, a few slices of toasted garlic and a drizzle of the browned butter. Refrigerate the leftover pipian in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months. Reheat gently.

EASY PAN-FRIED FISH FILLET

Steps:

• Wash fish fillets under running cold water and dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt on both sides.
• Combine flour and Chinese five-spice powder in a shallow bowl. Dip fish fillets into the flour mixture so they are covered on both sides.
• Heat canola and sesame oils in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fish to hot oil and pan-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn and continue cooking until fish flakes easily with a fork, 2 to 3 minutes more.

STRIPED BASS WITH PIPIAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine poblano chile, pumpkin seeds, broth, cilantro, and hierba santa in blender; puree until smooth.
• DO AHEAD Can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• Soak corn husks in warm water until flexible, at least 1 hour. Drain; pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Working in batches, fry corn tortillas until light golden but still soft and pliable, about 30 seconds per side for each. Transfer to paper towels; cool.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in clean large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook spinach until just wilted. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Transfer spinach to sieve. Using back of spoon, press on spinach to remove excess liquid.
• Place tortillas on work surface. Divide spinach and cheese among tortillas. Roll up tortillas, enclosing filling.
• Place 2 corn husks in roasting pan, overlapping slightly to form base for fish. Arrange 2 filled tortillas lengthwise and seam side down on corn husks. Place 1 fish fillet over tortillas; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Overlap remaining corn husks in same pan, using 2 for each base; top with filled tortillas and fish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon butter atop each fillet. Cover pan with foil and bake until fish is just cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, transfer sauce to small saucepan. Bring to near boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add cream; season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency, adding water by tablespoons to thin, if desired.
• Transfer 1 corn-husk base with fish and tortillas to each of 4 plates. Spoon warm sauce over fish. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
• *A fresh green chile, often called a pasilla, available at some supermarkets, Latin markets, and specialty foods stores.
• **An herb from Mexico available at Latin markets.
• ***Available at many supermarkets and at Latin markets.