Old Fish, New Twist

Escolar with Lilikoi Lime Salsa and Fresh Herbs & Brown Rice with Almonds, Lime and Furikake

We were given two pieces of frozen Escolar a couple weeks ago so it was time we ate them.  I actually took a piece out to defrost a few hours before dinnertime - I don't often think ahead like that!

Our first introduction to Escolar was at the South Pasadena Farmer's market. We were in front of the fish vendor and overheard someone speaking glowingly about Escolar. Our interest piqued, we bought a piece to try, got home, and looked up recipes on the internet. Some of the comments online warning of the possibility of getting sick after eating the fish was unnerving! I finally went ahead and prepared it, but took the precaution of preparing even smaller than recommended portions of fish. Of the few recipes I found for Escolar; Escolar with Tomato Chutney seemed most appealing as 1) I happened to have some yellow pear and red cherry tomatoes that were amazingly good, and 2), given the oily nature of the fish, the other recipes utilized butter sauces that seemed too rich.

The first time I made this recipe, some time last year, I adapted from the recipe so I could use what was on hand and wouldn't delay dinner with a trip to the market. I substituted fresh ginger juice instead of minced ginger, in case the minced ginger could be a tough texture to chew, and I used chipotle jam in place of the chili flakes and tamarind, which I didn't have.

the original recipe is here:
http://restaurant-hospitality.com/recipes/rh_imp_10851/

Last night I made the chutney with eyeballed amounts of
chopped Heirloom Cherokee tomato (seeds removed and excess water squeezed out)
chopped Yellow Bell Pepper (seeds and excess pith removed)
minced Jalapeno Pepper
Lilikoi Jam to taste
Lime Juice to taste
finely sliced Basil , Lemon Basil and Cilantro
Salt

Jimmy sliced two pieces of Escolar from the piece we had; we tried to keep each serving around 3 ounces. After salting and peppering, he seared them on the grill, with beautiful grill marks, and finished them in the toaster oven. I put together the ingredients for the chutney, which comes out like a salsa for me. I thought it would be fun to plate the fish by piling the salsa on top of the fish but spooned only the liquid to surround the fish. I garnished with some of the fresh herbs, which I had reserved.

Escolar with Lilikoi Lime Salsa and Fresh Herbs

I happened to have a little Lemon Basil which I threw in to use, and I think it was really good in this recipe. I've never used it before and it has a delightful scent and aroma.

I had made brown rice in the rice cooker and at the last minute wanted to make it a little more interesting. I decided to add a little butter and soy sauce (how I liked eating rice as a kid) and then dropped in some sliced almonds for texture. In keeping with the tropical twist of the fish, I added some lime juice. Finally, I sprinkled in some Furikake and mixed everything together. Voila, a five minute "pilaf"!

 

Brown Rice with Almonds, Lime and Furikake

So, the result? I thought the fish turned out well. It has a nice mild flavor, and a great texture without being meaty. It was surprisingly moist for not appearing oily at all. The salsa complemented nicely and I think, allows you the option to not have to serve this dish piping hot. I really like how ridiculously easy and tasty the rice was. I will definitely make this rice again!