GourGanics HAPPY SUMMER Mahi Mahi Mango Fish Tacos

I love a good fish taco. You can go out for tacos right here in Fairfield, CT. If you are local, I suggest the Mahi Mahi fish tacos at Bodega.  I tried my first fish taco in California about 16 years ago and I was hooked. Pun intended. I loved crispy crunch of a deep-fried fish taco. I wanted to replicate the experience as a home cook but frying is messy and not too healthy. So, I began hunting for a recipe that I could modify and make into the best baked fish taco known to humankind. YUM.

To my surprise, I found that the subtle texture and taste of a baked fish such as Mahi Mahi tastes even better than a fried version. And I mean WAY better. Here’s a new recipe I simply LOVE. I used a little SPICY GourGanics in my marinade and then topped it with some MILD GourGanics USDA Organic Salsa & Simmer Sauce. For crunch, we have some iceberg lettuce. I needed something that would replicate the CRAZY CRUNCH experience I enjoyed in a fried fish taco and I found this really did the trick. The medley of the subtle marinade, plus the sweetness of fresh mango intermingle with the bright burst of GourGanics USDA Organic Salsa in a way that leaves even yours truly at a loss for words.

Here’s what you need:

2-4 Mahi Mahi Fillets

2 tablespoons GourGanics Spicy

Juice of one Organic lime

1/4 cup white wine

Dash of olive oil

1 fresh USDA ORGANIC mango, chopped into small bite-sized chunks

1/4 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 pack corn tortillas

1/2 jar GourGanics Mild

Here’s what to do:

Place the fillets in a glass dish with the lime juice, wine, and salsa. Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Then rub a little butter or a dash of oil on the bottom of a baking pan and place fish fillets in the dish. Pour the salsa marinade over. Cover with parchment paper or foil and bake in oven at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

When the fish is almost cooked through, place your corn tortillas in the oven on a cookie sheet and allow to warm for about 3 minutes, so they will be warm and ready for taco assembly.

Pull the fish out of the oven and using two forks, gently flake the fish apart into bite-sized pieces.

Now to assemble your tacos:

First open a beer and have a swig. Then, use a small amount of chopped iceberg lettuce as a bed in your warmed corn tortillas, add fish,  chunks of fresh mango and one teaspoon of GOURGANICS USDA ORGANIC Mild salsa. Serve and enjoy with a crowd of 4.

Happy Summer. Happy Salsa!

Lobster with Angel Hair, Lemon and Spicy GourGanics

We are on Cape Cod enjoying an amazing week of good weather, food and family time. We ordered up three (3 lb) select lobsters, steamed and cracked and ate our fill with my Mom, Memere. Nobody can get more meat out of a lobster than Mem. So after we ate, she and I picked the lobsters clean and put the good white meat in a plastic container. It’s rare for us to have leftover lobster but this recipe will work with scallops, cod, or any light fish you have leftover, even on the second day.

Here’s what you need:

1 small organic shallot, minced fine

1 bunch organic parsley, minced fine

1 pound angel hair pasta

1/2 lemon zest plus juice of one organic lemon

2 tablespoons spicy organic salsa

1/2 cup or so white wine

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup or more of meat from picked lobster or other seafood you like

3 teaspoons parmesan cheese to garnish

Here’s what to do:

Boil angel hair for 3 minutes, strain and set aside (do not rinse)

Reserve 1 cup starchy cooking water from pasta

Sautee shallot in olive oil, then add reserved water and wine

Add cooked pasta in pan, add parsley, lemon zest, salsa, lemon juice, allow to warm up for :30 seconds, tossing to combine

Add cooked seafood and toss well, heat through, this should take :45 seconds or so since everything is hot

Garnish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, parsley and a little salsa to taste

Wild Caught Fish Fillets with Fennel and Spicy GourGanics Salsa

This is a great salty, sweet recipe that I will be making with fresh Cod on the Cape this week. The fennel adds an unexpected licorice taste that really works with the heat of the salsa. It sounds a little crazy but fresh fennel adds a lot to this dish.

Here’s what you need:

5 teaspoons organic fennel seeds

Dash organic olive oil

1/2 jar GourGanics spicy

2 tablespoons capers

the fresh juice of 1 organic lemon

1/2 cup flour to coat fish

4 Fresh caught cod fillets (hope my hubby brings them home)

salt and fresh pepper to taste

Here’s what to do:

Place the fennel seeds on medium heat and toast, remove from pan. Add a dash of organic olive oil into the pan, add capers and sautee, remove from the heat, place fennel seeds, lemon juice and salsa into a separate bowl and blend together. Coat the raw fish with just a bit of flour and a little salt and pepper.

Put another whirl of olive oil into your pan, add fish when the oil shimmers. Fry the fish over medium heat for around2-3 minutes, till cooked through. Serve the fish topped with the fennel and salsa mixture.  Add dirty Mexican rice or another starch and a side salad. Open a nice bottle of wine and enjoy your delicious meal.

GourGanics Spicy Poached Salmon

Last night we had the most delicious spicy poached salmon. Here’s the deal, I have a “nose” issue when it comes to cooking fish indoors. This recipe calls for high quality fish that is a little expensive, but it can be prepared in 10 minutes or less, and it doesn’t stink up the house the way broiling or frying fish often does. How practical and tasty!

We “poached” this recipe from a cooking Website and put my own spicy spin on it. When you eat high quality salmon, you really want to make sure you don’t over flavor it. We  selected a high quality wild caught Alaskan salmon. We are trying to eat a more whole food and plant-based diet in our home, so this was a nice treat full of healthy Omega fatty acids and other good stuff. I didn’t realize how delicate and delicious salmon can be when properly cooked. Delicate, flaky, not fishy. Tasty as can be. Plus a little spicy GourGanics mixed with a dollop of plain organic Greek yogurt is a delicious variation to your typical tartar sauce.

Here’s what you need:
1 to 1½ pounds salmon fillets
½ cup dry white wine (I chose Sauvignon Blanc)
½ cup water
A few thin slices of organic onion, peeled and sliced thin
two tablespoons spicy GourGanics USDA organic salsa
A sprig of fresh organic cilantro
Freshly ground organic black pepper

Here’s what to do:

Put wine, water, cilantro, salsa and onions in a saute pan, and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Place salmon fillets, skin-side down on the pan. Cover. Cook 5-7 minutes. Do not overcook. Serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 2-4 people.

For Spicy tartar sauce:

5 tablespoons GourGanics Salsa

3 tablespoons organic Greek Yogurt

Mix together and serve on the side as you would tartar sauce.

GourGanics Spicy Shrimp Dip

This a fun, spicy, salty and crunchy take on a traditional shrimp cocktail. It can be either elegant or rustic, depending upon how you serve it– fancy china or pretty glass bowls? You can also choose dainty little crackers or monster-sized tortilla chips as the vehicle that drives all this spicy shrimp and salsa goodness into your guest’s mouths.

Here’s what you need:

1 pound wild caught shrimp (boiled, iced and deveined, cleaned and cut into bite-sized chunks)

1 jar GourGanics Spicy

1 cup peeled and diced cucumbers

2 tablespoons chopped green olives

1 small ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup chopped cubed organic jicama

Mix it all up in a large bowl, garnish with cilantro and serve ice-cold.