Tomatillo Poached Fish With Cilantro Lime Rice Recipes

TOMATILLO-POACHED FISH WITH CILANTRO LIME RICE

Steps:

• Stir together the rice, 3 cups water, 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until fluffy and tender, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large straight-sided skillet or saute pan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add the tomatillos and cook until softened and slightly pale, about 4 minutes. Drain the tomatillos and put in a blender along with the onion, 1 jalapeno, garlic, cilantro stems and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Put the lid on the blender, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the tomatillo salsa back into the same skillet or saute pan and set over medium heat.
• Season the fish fillets on all sides with 2 teaspoons salt. Nestle the fish in the tomatillo salsa, cover and cook until the fish is opaque and there is no resistance when a paring knife is inserted, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Reserve 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves for garnish and chop the remaining cilantro leaves to yield 1/4 cup.
• When the rice is done, use a fork to fluff it, then stir in the lime zest, lime juice and the 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep warm.
• Generously coat a small saute pan with oil and heat over medium high until shimmering. Add a pinch of flour to the oil. If it sizzles, the oil is ready for frying. Line a small plate with paper towels.
• Thinly slice the 2 remaining jalapeños crosswise. Put the flour in a small bowl. Working in batches, coat the jalapeño slices in the flour, then fry on each side until the seeds are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to the prepared plate and season with a pinch of salt.
• To serve, put a quarter of the rice on left side of a wide shallow bowl, spoon a quarter of the tomatillo salsa on the right side and use a spatula to carefully place 1 fish fillet on top. Repeat with the remaining rice, salsa and fish. Garnish with the reserved cilantro leaves and a fried jalapeño slices.

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.

RACHAEL RAY'S TILAPIA WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the tilapia on both sides with salt, pepper, cumin and paprika.
• Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet and saute tilapia 3 minutes on each side, turning carefully with a thin spatula.
• Squeeze the juice of half the lime over the fish, and transfer fillets to a warm serving platter.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, red oniion, jalapeno and garlic, and saute 1 or 2 minutes, then add the tomatillos.
• Season with salt and pepper and saute another 1 or 2 minutes.
• Add the beer and the juice of the remaining lime half, and bring the sauce to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add cilantro, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon hot tomatillo sauce over the fish and garnish with sprigs of cilantro.
• Serve with recipe #112774, if desired.

OVEN-STEAMED COD OR MAHI MAHI IN GREEN TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Place the tomatillos in a saucepan, fill with water and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain and place in a blender. Add the chiles, chopped onion, garlic, salt and cilantro. Blend until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a drop of the tomatillo purée to test the heat. If it sizzles and sputters immediately, the oil is hot enough. Add the tomatillo purée, and stir constantly until it thickens and begins to stick to the pan, about 5 minutes. When you run your spoon down the middle of the pan it should leave a canal. Stir in the stock, bring to a simmer, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until it has reduced by about a quarter and coats the front and the back of a spoon like cream. Keep warm.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and oil the foil. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and lay on the foil. Place a pan of just boiled water on the floor of your oven and place the baking sheet with the fish in the oven on the middle rack. Bake 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the fish is opaque on the surface and you can pull it apart with a fork. Remove from the heat, transfer to plates or a platter, and spoon on the sauce. Garnish with cilantro and lemon or lime wedges, and serve. You will have some sauce left over.