Fiesta Rockfish Tacos: Guest Blog by Debbie Hemenway

by | May 27, 2015 | From the Sea, Recipes | 0 comments

Rockfish Tacos

These rockfish tacos are perfect for a festive dinner at home with friends and family.

Over the past thirty four years of living in Southeast Alaska I’ve caught more rockfish then I care to remember. Most of the time it was done in the pouring rain, but every now and then the sun was shining. Many different types of rockfish are found in the waters around Elfin Cove and it’s versatility lends itself to many different dishes. It has always been a weekly staple at our dinner table, and finding new ways to prepare it is always a fun challenge.

Here is a recipe that was hard for me to write down since so much of my cooking is off the cuff. I’ve done my best to approximate the measurements, but I’ve always found that the best dishes come from tasting and testing as you go along.

Rockfish

 Steven Hemenway holding a yelloweye rockfish.

Debbie

 

Deborah Hemenway has cooked for hundreds of people at her home in Elfin Cove, Alaska. She and her husband moved to Alaska in 1981 where they raised their family. When she’s not feeding people she also enjoys perfecting the art of bread-making.

 

 

 

Crunchy Cornmeal Crusted Shrimp Tacos

by | May 4, 2015 | From the Sea, Recipes | 0 comments

Cornmeal Crusted Shrimp

These shrimp tacos are perfect for any summer get-together!

Whether you are trawling them fresh right out of Alaska’s icy waters or buying them in bag from the grocery freezer section, shrimp can be prepared in about a million different ways. One of my favorites is of course in taco form. Because we are using large burrito shells I guess you could call these shrimp “burritos” but I like to keep them open on top and eat them sideways, messily trying to keep all of the slaw from falling all over my lap. Tacos should be nothing, if not messy!

For 2 persons

For the Shrimp:

  • 1/2 lb. of medium-sized, de-veined white or tiger shrimp
  • 1 cup All-Purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup white cornmeal
  • Canola or Vegetable oil

For the Slaw:

  • 1/2 a head of Savoy or Napa cabbage
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1/2 Tbsp. of sugar
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
  • pinch of salt and pepper

For the Sauce:

  •  1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp. of lime juice
  • A small squirt of Sriracha to taste

…and for a side condiment one can of Herdez® Taquera canned salsa emptied into a bowl and mixed with about 1/2 a tablespoon of agave nectar mixed in to make it a tad sweeter.

In a medium-sized saucepan heat about an inch and a half of oil over medium heat. Shell your shrimp, rinse them off and then dry them with a paper towel. Set up three bowls, one with the flour (with the cumin and salt mixed in), the middle with the eggs beaten, and the last one with the cornmeal. In small batches of 5 or 6 shrimp dust them with the flour, then coat them with the beaten egg, and finally cover them with the corn meal. Carefully fry them until they just start to turn golden – about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the oil and place them on a cooling rack.

Take your cabbage and cut it in such a way that you get a fine shred. Think long, very thin strips. Shred the carrot with a grater. Toss the veggies with that vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and sesame oil. Set aside to let the cabbage absorb the flavors.

In a small bowl mix the mayo, sour cream, Sriracha and lime juice. The mixture should be a little thin (more lime juice can be added to taste), finely chop the cilantro and mix it into the sauce.

Have the salsa ready in another small bowl.

I prefer to use TortillaLand® fresh tortillas because they have such a nice chewy texture and don’t tear like other tortillas, plus you cook them yourself so you can get those nice charred bubbles on the outside. They sell them in in the cheese and cold cuts aisle at Fred Meyers. Black beans and/or Spanish rice go very nicely with this meal!