Week 14: Biochemistry

Class Discussion: "Eating with the Ecosystem"

Here's a great article I found detailing how Monterey High School, Oakland Unified, and Berkeley added Pacific Grenadier to their cafeteria menus.  The grenadier is local by-catch from black cod fishing, with little to no mainstream market. 

Pacific Grenadier [from fishsource.org]


I figured it would be helpful to share a recipe, in case anyone else is interested in trying this local fish:

Grenadier Tacos & Mexican Slaw (adapted from seaforager.com, subbing grenadier for chilipepper rockfish)

Grenadier tacos & Mexican slaw
Ingredients:
  • For the tacos:
    • Pacific grenadier (also called Black Snapper)
    • ground cumin
    • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, as you like it
    • Fresh corn tortillas
  • For the fish taco sauce – stir together:
    • Equal parts plain yogurt & mayonnaise
    • Juice from ½ a lemon or lime
    • ½ tsp cumin
    • a couple dashes of tapatío hot sauce
  • For the Mexican slaw:
    • ½ head red or green cabbage, chopped
    • 1 bunch of scallions, chopped (or red onion is good too if that’s easier)
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • 1 jalapeno, remove the ribs and seeds and chop it  
    • 1 can (or fresh if you’ve got it!) corn, rinsed
    • ½ a bunch (or more!) of cilantro, chopped
      • dressing: olive oil & red wine vinegar & lime or lemon juice & tsp cumin & a few dashes of tapatío hot sauce
      • toss in a big bowl, let sit for at least 10 min, toss from time to time
  • Other excellent fixins:
    • Can of black beans, rinsed
    • Onion
    • Garlic – 2 cloves
    • Really good fresh salsa
    • Guacamole (you can make this, I know you can. At the very least you can slice an avocado, that’s good too)
    • More lime wedges for your fish and your cerveza
    • Chips, because, chips.
Method
  1. Before you cook the fish, assemble your Mexican slaw so that it can settle into a groove with the dressing while you prepare the rest.
  2. Chop up that onion, sautee it in a small pot with those 2 cloves of garlic.  After a few minutes, add the rinsed black beans and let them cook on low. Several dashes of tapatío would not be remiss here.
  3. Fire up the broiler and crack open a Mexican beer while it gets going. Lightly oil a baking sheet and lay your beautiful grenadier fillets down on it.  Sprinkle fillets with salt & pepper & broil until lightly browned for 5 to 8 minutes, until the fillets are white and firm (but don’t overcook!)
  4. While your fish are cooking, mix up your fish taco sauce: combine your yogurt, mayo, lemon/lime juice, cumin and stir until smooth.
  5. Heat your corn tortillas on your stove top, or as you like, top with some black beans, your gorgeous fish, that nice sauce, a bit of slaw, guacamole and there you have it! Damn fine fish tacos.  Cheers!


Comments

  1. Ms. Lee SaysAugust 13, 2019 at 9:36 PM

    Thank you! This looks pretty delicious. I love my tacos! I do most of my shopping at Sprouts and farmers markets. I'll be sure to look for Black Snapper/ Grenadier next time I'm out.

    ReplyDelete

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