HALIBUT GRILLED IN BANANA LEAVES WITH ORANGE-PINEAPPLE SALSA

It's Food Matters Project Monday. Week 16 as we cook our way through Mark Bittmans Book. This week our host is Sara of food & frederick. Sara chose Mexican-Style Fruit Salad with Grilled or Broiled Fish. This was right up my alley, as I love seafood and we have a early morning Saturday fisherman's market down at the harbor. The boats pull in with their catch and you buy it right off the boat.

I woke up at the crack of yawn to check out the fresh fish.

Somebody else had the same idea.

There were only two boats in and the catch of the day?

Urchins

and crabs.

She was handing out uni samples at 7:00AM ???????????

Not going to work for my Food Matters Project meal.

Not far from the harbor is a very ethnic Market. I haven't ventured in there in years. Wow! It was fun. All the Mexican specialties you could want. Check out the happy meat case.

I spotted some fresh banana leaves and I instantly knew what I was going to do. Grill some halibut in the leaves with a salsa made from oranges and pineapples.

I bought a package of leaves but I ended up with a boat load of leaves. This is only part of them. At least they freeze well. By now the Harbor Fish Market had opened and I loved the look of the Alaskan Halibut. I bought a pound and cut it in half.

The halibut was seasoned with salt and pepper, a little olive oil and a drizzle of juice from the orange-pineapple salsa. Then you wrap it up like a burrito. You can skewer the ends, tie it up in a little bundle, or put them in a basket like I did.

They were grilled for about 5 minutes per side. The banana leaves seal in the moisture and add a delicious mellow, smoky sweet flavor to the fish. You can wrap other types of fish in the leaves and even grill vegetables this way.

Right off the grill, then served with an Orange-Pineapple Salsa.

ORANGE-PINEAPPLE SALSA

2 limes,  juiced

2 TBSP. freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 tsp chile de arbol powder (or chile powder if you like it mild)

2 tsp. honey

2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into small dice

2 oranges, peeled and cut into small dice

3 green onions, thinly sliced

3 TBSP. chopped fresh mint leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the lime juice, orange, chile powder, honey, and oil in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Salsa adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe.

HALIBUT GRILLED IN BANANA LEAVES

Banana leaves cut into squares, washed and soaked in water for at least 30 minutes.

4- 8oz. halibut fillets, skinned

Salt and pepper

olive oil

juice from the salsa

Cut each banana leaf into a 14 x 14 inch square. Place halibut fillet in center of leaf, drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour 1 tsp. of the salsa juice on top and wrap the leaves around the halibut like a burrito. Tie together or skewer the ends closed and grill for about 5 minutes per side. You can also use a grill rack to grill the halibut like the picture above.

Remove from banana leaves and serve topped with the salsa.

For the original recipe as Mark Bittman wrote it please check it out on Sara's blog food & frederick. Then go here for all our groups amazing takes on his recipe.

SALSA VERDE

Sharon made this salsa and saved some for me to taste.

This salsa is amazing. It is served over the Staff Meal Chicken in the poultry category but I thought it deserved it's own post.

It's a tomatillo salsa without onion or garlic. My favorite salsa is tomatillo salsa WITH ONION AND GARLIC but....there are just times when you want your breath to smell fresh. You can eat this salsa and have a close encounter without any fear. And, you can use this recipe and add garlic and onion when you want the real deal.

All you need to make this amazing salsa are some jalapenos, tomatillos, cilantro, and chicken broth.

Cook the jalapenos in chicken broth until tender.

Add the tomatillos and cook until soft but not mushy.

Transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor and process until chunky. Transfer to a bowl and add the cilantro and salt

SALSA VERDE

1/4 pound jalapeno peppers (3-4 large), stems removed (not seeded)

2 to 3 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and stems chopped (1/2 cup)

1 tsp. salt

Place  the jalapenos in a medium saucepan and add enough broth to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the jalapenos are slightly tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Add the tomatillos and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatillos have lost their brightness and the vegetables are soft but not mushy.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor and process until chunky, add cooking liquid as needed to make a thick but loose puree. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro and salt.

Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Makes about 2 cups.


Recipe from The Essential New York Times Cook Book



SALSA

I've roasted it and whirled it but sometimes I'm just in the mood for fresh, raw, unadulterated tomato salsa. Every ingredient came from our garden with the exception of the cilantro. I peeled the skin off the tomatoes by hand and added some spicy Thai chilies for heat. Nothing beats home grown salsa.

                                                                      SALSA

2 cups peeled chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup diced onion

2 sliced green onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 serrano or jalapeno chili, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tsp. fresh lime juice

Mix all ingredients together and let sit 1 hour before serving.