Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Chipotle-Cornmeal Crusted Fish



If I see a recipe and the word "chipotle" is in the title, it's pretty much guaranteed that I'll make it.  I just love the smoky-spicy flavor that chipotles give food.  This was also an incredibly easy and quick dinner to throw together.  AND I used the leftover corn muffins for the crust instead of plain cornmeal, which made the fish especially delicious. Win - win - win. 

The peach salsa is a great accompaniment to the fish, and well, smashed potatoes go with just about everything.  This was a great dinner, and it speaks volumes of the fish when Caroline finished that before even touching her mashed potatoes.  I used tilapia since it was on sale, but I would also suggest, cod, catfish, or halibut.  Any white fish would be great,  Just be sure to adjust your cooking time based on the thickness of the fillet. 


One Year Ago:  Seafood Risotto



Fish with Cornmeal-Chipotle Crust
adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
  • 4 firm fish fillets (5-6 ounces each)
  • 2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal, or cornbread crumbs
Peach Salsa
makes 2 cups
  • 2 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped
  • 1 ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped
  • 1/2  bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced (about 1 Tbs)
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • pinch salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
 For the salsa, mix together all the ingredients, and set aside for at least 10 minutes.  Taste and season accordingly.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly oil a large baking sheet with oil. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chipotles, oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, thyme, and salt.  Pulse a few times to combine. 

Pour the sauce into a shallow bowl or dish, and spread the cornmeal in a separate dish.  Dip each fish fillet first into the chipotle sauce, then dredge in the cornmeal.  Turn the fish several times to coat, and pat the fillets to adhere the crumbs.  Arrange the fish in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.  Drizzle with a small amount of oil.

Bake uncovered until the fillets are golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork.  It could be as little as 10 minutes, or up to 25 depending on the type and thickness of the fish.  For the last 2 minutes, turn on the broiler to acheive a crispy crust. 

Serve with peach salsa and lime wedges.


5 comments:

donna said...

Yum! I will have to try this next time when I cook fish.

Joanne said...

haha I'm the same way with cornmeal...so I'll be making this dish!

Laura said...

I've got some catfish in the freezer I've been wanting to do something interesting with. Think this would be perfect!

Eliana said...

I have never cooked with chipotle for fear of it being too but you're tempting me to give it a try with this beauty of a dish.

KB said...

I made this Saturday night! Such a winner recipe :) What's even better, which you may or may not have known; this recipe is gluten-free!!!

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