Snapper Time - Cooking Post

We had a literally the laziest past weekend, ever! Aside from JR scoring a great deal on a MacBook Pro at Best Buy (Black Friday in July anyone?), we pretty much just lazed about playing Rogue Legacy and watching Celebrity Ghost Stories (my choice, not his). I like it okay?! How can you not want to watch Tom Green tell you about the night he spent at a haunted museum, complete with re-enactments? 

YOU CANT!!!!

Okay, maybe you can, but then we need to re-evaluate our friendship... or non-existent friendship if I don't know you.

Any way.

So we did a lot of cooking this weekend and one of my favorites we made was beer marinated red-snapper with a toasted coconut topping. We started out with a gorgeous filet of quality snapper from our local fisherman's market, aka the Harris Teeter. I really don't know why they put that paper on the outside, they're not fooling anyone.

Then we filled a 13x9 pyrex with Bud Light - Platinum, because we had it in the fridge (Only top shelf American lager for us *awkward wink*), and the other option was an apple wheat, which probably wouldn't have melded with the coconut. 

Sliced the filet into single portions. 

And popped them, flesh-side down into the beer. 

While those were doing their Rumors-tango (as I like to call all booze-filled adventures), I started toasting 1 full cup of sweetened coconut flakes in a cast-iron skillet. Excuse my upside-down picture, but I'm not changing it. 

When the coconut had a gorgeous, golden-brown color, I popped them out of the pan (I'm not going to tell you how long it took, because, one - I dont remember, and two - you should be watching your food as you cook it), and let them cool/harden up in a bowl. 

After that I flipped the fish so that they were scale-side down so that that side had the opportunity to really soak up the bad-decisions, then I started our side dishes (some roasted baby corn and spicy corn and yeast rolls, because who doesn't love yeast rolls?!). Once I started the sides and the cast-iron skillet was cooler, I cleaned out the remainder of the coconut from the skillet, did a circle of EVOO, to coat, then heated it to medium-high. 

Unfortunately, I didn't think about taking a photo until I was in the middle of eating, so everything else is basically just instructions on fish cooking. 

After the fish have marinated for 30 minutes, total - 15 minutes on each side. Pat the filets dry. (I added a dash of cumin and paprika and some garlic powder). Then when the skillet is good and hot drop them scale side down. cook till you see the color on the side change from translucent to opaque about 3/4th of the way up, then flip. Cook another few minutes until done. 

Top with toasted Coconut, and Voilá! Near - instant delish! We had some pineapple to go with it, and it was amazing! Sorry for the gross picture, but if you wanted to see it finished, this was all I had... oops! I'll remember to take better pix the next time! 

It wasn't until we'd put everything on our plate that we realized everything was yellow/white... Probably the most boring color combo ever, but everything was pretty taste-tastic!

Happy Cooking! 

Stay tuned every Monday and Thursday for new posts!

Enchilada Sauce of the Heavens

So on Sunday night, MM and took a side trip over to Glen's Garden Market over in Dupont after visiting his mother for Mother's Day. I had wanted to nab some local honey (which they have a nice variety though some are on the pricey side), when we noticed this Tomatilla Verde Sauce, I can't remember the brand for the life of me.

We grabbed it, excited to include it in our enchilada dinner later that evening.

After picking up cheese and tortillas from the local grocery to include with the beautiful ramps and the sauce that we got at Glen's, we started cooking.

I sautéed the ramps in some farm fresh butter that we got from Agora Farms' stall in Eastern Market (heavenly butter by the way, I'll never go back to store bought again). Then we rolled up the cheese into the tortillas with the ramps.

Opening the sauce I stuck my pinky in to taste, and while it was a little on the fruity side, I told Boyfriend to pour it over the top.

He grabbed the jar...

And the sauce went everywhere.

The top was still loose on the jar from when I tasted it.

It was like the green blob was coming. It got all over the stove, BUT we still had half a jar left. So MM poured it on top, we popped them in the over and we waited the cursory 15 minutes as the cheese-ramp enchiladas bubbled away in the oven.

When they came out they looked and smelled delicious (phone's broken otherwise I'd show you pictures).

But upon first taste, we realized it was a blessing that half of that jar of tomatilla sauce fell onto the stove. IT WAS DISGUSTING. If you ever go to Glen's DO NOT GET THE TOMATILLA VERDE SAUCE.

The enchiladas were basically ruined.

We had a full pan of gross.

So we popped them in the fridge hoping that they'd be better the next day.

Boyfriend attempted them at lunch, nope. Disgusting.

So I looked around on the internet hoping to find some fix because we literally had 6 enchiladas left and I am not one to waste cheese. (Love me some cheese)

We scraped the remaining sauce off of the enchiladas we had.

I found a recipe that looked promising and altered it to my liking. The following is by far the most delish enchilada sauce, I've ever made.

2 1/2TBs of farm fresh butter
4 TBs of flour
chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and garlic powder to taste
2 tsp diced green chilis (from a can is fine)
1/2 of a large shallot (or a small shallot)
1 8oz can of Hunts tomato sauce
water
Blender (I used an immersion blender)

Dice the Shallot. 

In a medium sauce pan melt the butter slowly over low heat then slowly add the flour stirring till it creates a sort of paste. Allow the butter and flour to brown slightly (this is your roux for the sauce), this might take a few minutes. Keep a close eye. 

I added about equal parts chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder, then went a little heavy handed on the pepper. 

Stir the pot until mixed. Allow this to cook a little more before adding the can of tomato sauce, the diced shallot, and the green chilis. 

Fill the empty tomato sauce can with water and use that to thin out the sauce if it seems to thick, I think I filled mine up 1 1/2 times. 

Allow to cook for apprx. 5-10 minutes so that the flavors have time to mix. 

Then purée the sauce using your blender. Allow to cook for 5-10 minutes more. 

Enjoy! 

I poured that sauce over the top of the disaster from the day before and added some grated cheese on top, popped them in the oven for 15 minutes, and the result was absolutely heavenly.

MM and I looked at each other and decided then and there we'd never use another red enchilada sauce again!

I saved the rest of the sauce and plan to make a little magic happen later tonight known as round 2!

All the Noms!


Next I'm thinking enfrijoladas! Anyone have a good recipe?