Fishy Tacos

When I proposed fish tacos to David as a meal, he turned up his nose as if I had just suggested peanut butter and salami sandwiches or pasta with chocolate sauce. Why put fish on a taco when ground meat is just so good? Why break up a perfectly good duo with something that usually stinks up the house for a day or two afterward?

Because its fast. Because it's healthy. Because it's simple. Because people in coastal Mexico have been eating it forever. Because a taco topped with cabbage and a little sour cream doesn't weigh you down the way a meat-bean-and-cheese extravaganza does. And because its fast, did I mention that. Fish cooks in no time flat. A little chopping, a little grating, and you've got dinner in about ten.

Fish Tacos

serves two, takes less than 15 minutes

1 white fish fillet (we used haddock), cut into 5 or six strips

1 egg (or just the white), beaten

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 Tbsp flour, plus a little extra

1 tsp each of salt and cumin

pinch of black pepper

lime zest (if you have it)

1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced thin

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp honey

1 Tbsp cilantro

4-5 corn tortillas

sour cream

monterey jack cheese

radishes

limes

1. Set a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and throw in 1-2 tsp oil. Meanwhile, mix the cornmeal, 2 T flour, salt, cumin, pepper, and zest (if using) in a shallow bowl. Dust your fix pieces with extra flour, dip them in beaten egg, then roll them in the cornmeal breading mixture. Lay them in the skillet (they should all fit) and cook 4 minutes; then flip, and cook 3 minutes more, until flaky. You can sacrifice one by breaking it open in the middle and making sure its opaque. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
2. In a bowl, mix cider vinegar with honey, cilantro, and a pinch of S&P. Stir in cabbage.
3. Warm the tortillas either in a bit of oil over the stove or in a wet paper towel in the microwave. Build tacos with a piece or two of fish, a sprinkle of cheese, a spoonfull of cabbage, a dollop of sour cream, and a squirt of lime. Serve with sliced radishes tossed in salt and more cilantro. We also had some corn relish, but you could go with rice and/or beans to round out the meal.

Gordon's Burritos

We must tip our collective hat to our brother-in-law, Gordon, for introducing us to this fantastic meal. I say "we" because David plays a very active part in the preparation of this meal, mostly (I believe) because it involves bacon. Apparently bacon is David's territory.

Once, long ago, on a family beach vacation (from which I am still sporting a tan -- ahem-- burn line), each of David's family members was assigned a night to prepare a dinner. Gordon, who lived in Paraguay for a number of years, brought this dish to the table and we were hooked. We've been attempting it regularly ever since, usually with David first calling Gordon and saying, "Ok, what goes into your burritos?"

The best part of this meal is that it can be on the table in under 20 minutes. What am I saying? The best part of this meal is the bacon. The basics are thus: (1) chicken strips cooked in bacon grease and sprinkled with cheese, (2) a fresh salsa made of chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, and (3) tortillas. You'll see we did things a little different, but only because of what was already in the fridge.

Gordon's Burritos

(total prep/cook time, about 20 minutes; serves 1-2)

4 slices bacon

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1 large or 2 medium chicken breasts, cut into strips

1/2 cup shredded cheddar, colby jack, or monterey jack cheese

1 cup diced tomato (I used grape, but you can use whatever)

1/2 medium onion, diced (use the rest of the one from above)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

*optional: some peppers of your choice for heat

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 avocado, sliced thin

lime slices

sour cream

corn tortillas

1. In a heavy skillet, cook the bacon. Take out and drain on a paper towel. Toss sliced onion into bacon drippings and sprinkle a little salt. Stir 3ish minutes, until softened. Remove from pan.
2. Salt and pepper chicken strips and place in single layer in still-hot pan (if you've lost some of the fat in the pan, add more oil). Cook 5-7 minutes and flip. Cook 4-6 minutes more. Return cooked onions to pan and stir. Sprinkle cheese on top and allow to melt, about another minute. Top with crumbled, cooked bacon.
3. While chicken cooks, chop and toss together tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and vinegar (and some heat agent like peppers or Tobasco, if you want). Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Slice lime and avocado wedges. Bring it all to the table.
4. Now make a delicious burrito with your tortilla, a bit of cheesy-bacon-onion-chicken, a spoonful of salsa fresca, a slim slice of avocado, and a blop of sour cream. You will run out long before you're ready to be done.

Taco Salad (slightly grown up)

I know at least one other human in this world grew up eating the great, home-grown taco salad that comes smothered in warm taco meat, soaked in Catalina dressing, and sprinkled with tantalizing crumbles of nacho-cheese Doritos. I also know that this meal marked the only time Doritos ever appeared in our house. I'm pretty sure far fewer ended up in the salad than ended up in the chip-crusher's mouth.

Anyway, I get a hankering for this salad periodically, but I've since learned that catalina = ketchup + sugar + vegetable oil, and am no longer crazy about corn chips in my dinner, I started experimenting with going more au natural.

Turns out, it's not so tough to replicate. You can microwave cheese until it's crispy (Doritos, check); you can stir up a dressing out of pantry staples (Catalina, check); and you can even make your own taco seasoning mix (1,460 fewer grams of sodium with your dinner, check).

Taco Salad with Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

(Serves 2, dinner-size. Total prep/cook time, about 40 minutes.)

For the salad:

1/4 - 1/3 lb ground turkey

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp taco seasoning (see below)

Romaine lettuce (enough for 2 salads)

1 medium carrot, sliced thin

4 radishes, sliced thin

2 scallions, sliced thin

2 thick tomato slices, diced

1/3 cup cheddar cheese, grated

For the dressing:

Zest of 1 lime (about 1 tsp)

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp)

1 Tbsp white wine or rice vinegar

1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 tsp honey

1 tsp cumin

S&P

2 Tbsp olive oil (or other salad oil)

For taco seasoning (if you wanna make your own):

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a small skillet, saute onions with a pinch of salt. When about done, throw in garlic. Then add turkey meat and brown, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and add 1/4 cup water. Stir to incorporate and lower heat; simmer until liquid is gone.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice and zest, vinegar, cilantro, honey, and spices. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking. Set aside.
3. Now, sprinkle grated cheese in a thin layer on a microwave safe plate. Microwave on high until cheese is bubbling, brown and spotty. My microwave took 3 minutes. You might start with 2 and see how it goes. You should be able to (just barely) peel sheets of cheese off the hot plate, but it should harden immediately. If it's still flexible, throw it back on the plate and return it to the microwave. [This can also be done in a skillet on the stove under your watchful eye.]
4. To assemble, divide lettuce between two salad bowls/plates. Also split carrots, radishes, scallions, and tomatoes between plates. Drizzle dressing over. Top with warm meat and crunchy cheese.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Can I get an "Ole!"? We are total suckers for stuffed peppers because they are so easy, so filling, and such a cinch to quadruple or divide. Plus they basically use one dish: our cast iron skillet. The classy container you see in the above photo is the tupperware David took for lunch, because I threw this together real quick-like in the morning to send with him before he left for the day. No. Time. At. All. The only caveat is precooking your grains...see my soliloquy on wheat berries, below.

Here are some tricks to good (and speedy) stuffed peppers: First, microwave your peppers so they're soft and compliment the rest of the dish. Second, grains + beans + cheese = a complete meal; riff at will. Third, don't even think about doing this without sauteed onions. Just don't do it. Fourth, saucing. See soliloquy number two on sauces, also below.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

(serves 2)

2 red, yellow, or orange peppers

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup broth, divided

1 1/2 tsp each of salt, cumin, and chili powder

1/2 cup salsa

2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves (1/4 cup frozen spinach, thawed, will do fine)

1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)

1/2 cup wheat berries (or other whole grain), cooked

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Fresh lime juice

1. Cut out an inch-wide wedge the full length of your pepper (or cut in half long-ways and eat both halves for your dinner, or just slice off an inch of the top, stem and all). Reach your hand in and carefully fish out the ribs and seeds. Wrap in plastic and microwave 4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onions in some olive oil (with a little salt) over medium heat until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook one minute more. Toss in the broth and beans and using a flat wooden spatula or a potato masher, roughly mash the beans so you have some mush and some whole beans. Add seasonings and cook until broth is absorbed.
3. Now, add salsa and spinach, allowing the moisture from the salsa to wilt the spinach. When the salsa is sufficiently wilted, turn off heat and stir in cheese, wheat berries, and cilantro. Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste
4. CAREFULLY remove plastic wrap from peppers and stuff generously with your bean/grain mixture; top with sprinkled cheese. If you have the time, place peppers on a pan and roast in a 375º oven for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melty and pepper is nice and warm.

Do you share my gnawing conviction that a dish is not a dish without some kind of sauce? I think probably the annual income of the Heinz corporation alone will corroborate my theory. So for Mexican-type foods, I love to combine sour cream, cilantro, and lime in some way and drizzle it over whatever we're having--from tacos to peppers to quesadillas. So get about 1/4 cup sour cream and thin it out with some milk until it's pourable. Add 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro, salt, pepper, and 2-3 wedges of squeezed lime juice. Whisk and pour.

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Now, for a word on eating more whole grains. Do it. Wheat berries are a new favorite of mine. They're basically the entire kernel of wheat before it's been refined into different types of wheat flours. Along with other winners like pearled barley, whole spelt, kamut, and wild rice blends, they are a much more satisfying choice than plain white or brown rice and do more for you in the long run. So buy a bunch of wheat berries and cook a big pot one day. (Treat it like pasta: boil it for about 30 minutes or until tender, then drain.) Keep the cooked berries in a tupperware in the fridge and eat them for breakfast with yogurt and honey, or stir fry them with diced vegetables, or put them in soup, or basically use them wherever you would use rice. The end.

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