Camacho Watcho

Tacos are a staple in my household. I love the versatility of them and the ease of how just a few ingredients can come together quickly to make a fresh, delicious meal.

This past Saturday Kyle and I ventured out to the Midtown Global Market in search of the thinly sliced steak we have eaten there several times at our favorite taco stand. Located just inside the doors of the 10th Avenue entrance, this taco stand is open both for meals cooked fresh in minutes, or as a meat counter to take cuts of meats to go. We bought a couple steaks and headed back home. There, we took the steaks and seasoned them with olive oil, salt and pepper and then quickly grilled them, about 2 minutes per side. Juicy, tender and seasoned well with a marbling of fat, the steak was delicious. Piled into a tortilla with cilantro, avocado and lime juice, it truly made for a fantastic lunch.

A few nights later, I was craving fish tacos. I had attempted to make fish tacos in the past, but I never seem to like the versions that I make. This time was no exception, as we were, unfortunately, not thrilled with how the fish turned out. I believe it was due to the type of fish we used. I had previously bought some cod, intending to use it for a different recipe. However, when I began to crave fish tacos, I decided that to just change things up a bit, add some blackening seasoning and grill it up for a tasty meal. Unfortunately, cod just isn’t the right fish. Next time, I’ll make sure to use tilapia or another more appropriate type. The seasoning was good, but the texture was just all off.

Regardless of the fish mistake, the mango salsa that I served with the fish was delicious. I got this recipe from my mother-in-law and have made it twice. Its flavor is sweet, spicy and cool; perfect to pair with blackening seasoning or just to serve with tortilla chips.

Spicy Mango Salsa
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1 fresh navel orange, peeled and sections diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more, I love cilantro so I add it liberally)
2 green onions, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (if you’ve never cooked with a fresh jalapeno, note that you should use rubber gloves or put a baggy over your hands to prevent burning)
2 TBSP fresh limed juice (2 fresh limes)
1 tsp soy sauce

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve immediately or cover and chill.

Spring was in the air. The sun was shining and the air was only a bit cool…so we decided to head to Minnehaha Falls to eat at SeaSalt.

I love this place. It’s a complete package, with everything from a casual vibe to the freshest of seafood (from Coastal Seafoods, no less!). Located at the top of Minnehaha Falls, there are always people abound enjoying the seafood or just enjoying the park, perhaps picnicing on their own. The slight downfall of this is that the lines can be very, and I mean very, long. It stays very busy throughout any given beautiful day, but this should not deter you; the food is worth the wait. Grab a pitcher of Summit and suddenly the wait doesn’t seem so bad. Or, if you’re like me, somehow convince your friends to go there at a certain time and then show up late so you can slip in line with them just as they are nearing the front…yes, that was me! But, I don’t do that all the time…I promise. It was my birthday, so I made an exception!

I went with my usual order of grilled tilapia tacos. Two corn tortillas with fresh grilled tilapia, chopped onion, fresh salsa, tons of cilantro, and fresh limes on the side. Absolutely fantastic! If fish tacos aren’t your thing, I would highly recommend the fish basket/sandwich or the crab cake basket/sandwich. All are fresh and tasty!

On this particular visit to SeaSalt, we did go slightly astray from the usual ordering and also got oysters on the half-shell. I have not tried a fresh oyster in years, as I had convinced myself that I don’t like them. Surprise, surprise…I know. So, in the spirit of trying things new, I threw this out the window and went for it. I topped my oyster with a squeeze lemon juice, a bit of horseradish and cocktail sauce, then I threw it down the hatch. Yum! I can’t believe what I had been missing all these years. I’ll definitely have to try more oysters in the future. I can’t guarantee I’ll love them as much as I did on this particularly beautiful day at SeaSalt, but I’m going to give it a go!

My first SeaSalt of the season…I can’t wait for the next. Love those tilapia tacos and love that ice cold Summit. On a hot, summer day it just doesn’t get better than that.

No, this isn’t some reference to the Saturday Night Live skit. Fish in a box is actually one of the foods that I absolutely crave from my experience in South America. The actual title on the menu was pez en un caja hierro, translated ‘fish in an iron box’. And it was just that. Simple and delicious.

This dish is served in a restaurant right next to the hotel where I stayed in Montevideo called S. de Sarten. From the outside this restaurant was unassuming however, upon entering the courtyard, you realize it is anything but. Open, modern, and decorated with warm lights and natural materials, I loved this restaurant immediately for its atmosphere. Then I read the menu and the pez en un caja hierro demanded my attention right away. Although I didn’t quite know what this would exactly turn out to be, I was sold.

The dish arrived, served in a caste iron box (of course) with a lid and fitted inside a wooden holder. They placed it in front of me and removed the lid, letting the steam rise from the box and fill the air with smells of fresh fish and vegetables. I was in love from the first smell and enjoyed every bite. I also enjoyed it on the several other occasions when I returned to S. de Sarten during my life in Montevideo.

The other night I was craving ‘fish in a box’ so I decided to try to replicate this recipe, using my large stainless steel saute pan with lid instead of an iron box. I was surprised at how simple it was to make and how similar the results were to the original. The original recipe called for linguado (sole), onion, pumpkin, and green and yellow bell pepper. I used orange roughy, green bell pepper, onion, snap peas, sweet potato and carrots. In reality, any mix of veggies that meets your fancy will work just fine. I used olive oil to grease the bottom of the pan, then placed the fish inside with the cut up vegetables on top. Then I lightly drizzled more olive oil and a generous amount of fresh ground pepper and course ground salt. Placing the lid on top, I steamed this on the stovetop for 9 minutes over medium-high heat.

Tasting the light but rich flavors and experiencing the varied textures, I again enjoyed every bite. A little trip down memory lane and a new favorite recipe for me. And, hey, if you’re ever in the neighborhood don’t forget to try the original at S. de Sartens in Montevideo, Uruguay.