Strawberry Salsa Seafood!

               It’s strawberry season! And what could be better than locally grown strawberries from the farmers’ markets around town?

                I must say this about strawberries this year: ask to taste one of the type you want to buy. I don’t know if it was the weather, the cool spring, or the variety of strawberries, but the first basket I bought wasn’t nearly as sweet as I expected. I intended to eat the strawberries with brown sugar, or a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, or a little honey with lemon, or just rinsed and plain, if they had been sweet enough.

                But although the first ones I bought were not sweet, I wasn’t about to just throw them away. I was having guests that evening and had planned on serving scallops. I dusted them with a little flour mixed with Penzeys Salsa Seasoning and sautéed them. I made a salsa out of the strawberries and the dish was a big hit.

              Subsequently, I’ve gotten only good strawberries—by tasting them first. There have still been some less than sweet ones around.

Last weekend was the monthly meeting of our wine dinner group. My assignment was a seated appetizer. This time I rubbed fresh cod filets with olive oil and sprinkled them with the same seasoning, and cooked them on the outside grill. Oh yum.  As good as the salsa was with the slightly under-sweet berries and sautéed scallops, this second effort was much better. The sweetness of the berries really went well with the smoky grilled flavor of the fish.

                Brush some asparagus with olive oil and some of the same seasoning you use on the fish and grill for a few minutes alongside the fish. With a nice rice pilaf you have the best early summer dinner I can imagine!
 

Grilled Fish with Strawberry-mint Salsa

6 – 6-oz servings of firm mild white fish (see note)

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup Penzeys Salsa Seasoning (or packaged taco seasoning)

1 quart strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced

½ cup diced red onion

1 small yellow bell pepper, diced

½ jalapeño pepper, seeds and inner veins removed (or more to taste)

Juice and finely grated zest of two limes

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

¼ cup (loosely packed) julienned fresh mint leaves

Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

               Pat the fish dry and rub with the olive oil. Sprinkle the seasonings evenly on both sides of the fish. You can do this earlier in the day and refrigerate, covered. Remove from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before cooking.

                In a bowl, mix the berries, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, lime juice and zest and balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to four hours.

                About an hour before serving, mix the julienned mint leaves into the salsa. When ready to serve, grill the fish filets over a medium-hot fire or broil about 4” below a preheated oven broiler. Fish should be just barely opaque in the center and flake easily.  Place the fish on heated dinner plates, divide the salsa among them and garnish with the mint sprigs.
 

NOTE: There are other fish that would work: amberjack, grouper, haddock or halibut. But I like fresh cod for this dish. It is readily available in specialty markets and in many supermarkets. It has a mild flavor, and is very affordable.

Amberjack and Peach Salsa...With a Little Help From My Friends!

                Today’s recipe comes with a little help from my friends.  We had guests coming who didn’t eat meat. I wanted to cook on the grill, so I took myself to the Paradise Seafood Truck at the Agricenter to pick up something fresh.  I had planned on using grouper but Ted, the fish man, suggested amberjack. I’d never cooked it before but he assured me that it would be perfect on the grill. And he suggested that I marinate in in half Italian dressing, half pineapple juice.

                I’m not much on bottled dressing but I figured the fish man knows what he’s talking about and tried it. It was perfect with the peach chutney I planned on using.  And there is where the second friend comes in. My next-door neighbor, Denise Anderson, had made a big batch of her fresh peach chutney and gave me a generous share. It was absolutely delicious and I knew it would go well with the fish.

                Amberjack is a fish that can be found in Florida waters around reefs, rock outcrops or even wrecked boats. It is not on the “bad” list of endangered species, which makes it a good choice besides the mild flavor and nicely firm texture.

                The salsa can be tweaked according to your taste. You might want more or less cilantro, ginger or hot sauce. It would also be delicious on grilled pork or chicken, and leftovers work just fine with corn chips for dipping.

                I served it with rice pilaf and black beans baked with a can of Rotel and a bit of brown sugar. It made for a delicious summer dinner.

Ted’s Grilled Amberjack with Denise’s Fresh Peach Salsa

Salsa:

4 ripe peaches, peeled and cut into small dice

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into small dice

5 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped

1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. cider or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 tsp. hot sauce

Salt & pepper

 Fish:

3/4 cup Italian dressing

3/4 cup pineapple juice

2 lbs. amberjack filet, cut into six servings

Make the salsa: In a glass bowl, combine the peaches, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and ginger.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss with the peach mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

                Mix together the Italian dressing and pineapple juice. Reserve about ½ cup for basting. Put the rest in a plastic bag with the fish.  Give it a shake to make sure all the fish is covered with the marinade and refrigerate for about an hour, turning the bag occasionally.

                The fish can be cooked on a hot grill, about 8 minutes on the first side and 5 minutes on the second, or until done through. It can also be cooked under your oven broiler for about the same amount of time, or even on a stove-top grill.  Baste with the reserved marinade several times while cooking.

                When done, top with the salsa and serve immediately. Serves six, with plenty of leftover salsa. Refrigerate leftover salsa up to several days.

NOTE: Don’t marinate for more than an hour or so. The acid in the marinade will start to “cook” the fish, like ceviche. Good for ceviche. Not good for grilled fish.