Mild and Spicy Fish

I could not go one more day without using some of the beautiful cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions from our garden and CSA basket. Plus, it's a super-hot day--just right for a quick stove-top meal. For this recipe, I used wild-caught cod I had in the freezer. You can use whatever you have on hand or whatever wild-caught whitefish is available at the fish counter. Feel free to customize the pico de gallo, as well. The three jalapenos made it very spicy, so scale back if you want a milder flavor. I've listed the quantities that work for me, but you might like more onion, more tomato, more cilantro...make it yours! Feel free to use whatever type of tomato you have access to. Any type will work.

Serves 2, with extra mild and spicy toppings, or up to 4 by scaling up the fish quantity.

Ingredients
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
2 cups tomatillos, diced
1 cup green zebra tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 3 small)
2 small yellow onions, diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded, cored, and diced
2 limes, juiced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cod, or another whitefish, fillets
coconut oil

Preparation

1. Combine cucumber and avocado in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 of the lime juice and stir gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Combine tomatillos, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and jalapenos in a medium bowl. Add the other half of the lime juice and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Melt 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet. Season fish with salt and pepper. Cook fillets for about 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. 
4. To serve, place fish fillet on a plate. Spoon cucumber mixture on one side and tomatillo mixture on the other. 

Cucumber-Tomato Salad

My children uncovered 10 huge cucumbers and several tomatoes in our garden yesterday. Time to put them to good use! This salad is simple to prepare and very adaptable. I actually made it three times this week! I used what I had on hand, so feel free to switch up the herbs and vegetables you include in your salad. You can also adjust the quantities to your liking. The apple cider vinegar adds a gentle tang to the salad. The whole combination is light and refreshing. I've served this with burgers and with shrimp, but it would also go well with grilled chicken or steak. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 medium-to-large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/3-inch slices
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice, or about 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
8-10 large basil leaves, cut in thin ribbons or "chiffonade"
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 tsp snipped fresh chives
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring gently to combine.
2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors combine.

Zucchini Ribbons with Mint, Cucumber, and Lemon

Zucchini and cucumbers were in my CSA basket yesterday and this is a perfect way to enjoy them. I
like cutting my zucchini into ribbons to eat either sauteed or, in this case, raw. The thinner the better for this recipe. My mandoline was not cutting the ribbons thin enough so, about midway through, I switched to my Y-peeler and was much happier with the results. I am very lucky to have a neighbor who grows mint--and is very generous with it. (Thanks, Michelle!) This recipe makes a lot, so feel free to scale it back or enjoy the leftovers the next day. The bright flavors of this dish are the perfect complement to the Persian-spiced chicken kabobs.

Adapted from epicurious.com.


Serves 6.

Ingredients
6 small to medium zucchini squash, green or yellow, sliced with a mandoline or Y-peeler into thin ribbons (I found my Y-peeler gave me a better cut.)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 cup Vidalia or Maui onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 large onion)
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped, divided
2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (I just got the OXO juicer and LOVE it!)
2 Tbsp walnut or olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place zucchini slices in a large bowl.
2. Add cucumber, onion, 1/2 of chopped mint, and lemon peel. Stir gently to combine.
3. Whisk lemon juice and oil in a small bowl, pour over zucchini mixture and toss to coat.
4. Season with salt and generously with pepper.
5. Cover and refrigerate for 1-3 hours to allow flavors to combine.
6. To serve, divide mixture evenly among plates. Garnish with remaining mint.