One Pan, Two Plates (34 page)

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START TO FINISH
30 minutes

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HANDS-ON TIME
30 minutes

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serves 2

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1 tsp minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (see “It’s that easy”)

¼ cup/60 ml mayonnaise

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp fresh lime juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup/115 g very thinly sliced white cabbage

1 cup/115 g very thinly sliced red cabbage

1 green onion, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced

1 large egg

2 tsp hot sauce

1 cup/110 g panko bread crumbs, plus more if needed

¼ cup/30 g all-purpose flour

8 to 10 oz/225 to 280 g catfish fillets

½ cup/120 ml vegetable oil

Four or five 10-in/25-cm flour tortillas

1.
In a large bowl, combine the chipotle, mayonnaise, honey, lime juice, ¼ tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper and stir well to mix. Add both cabbages and the green onion and toss and stir to combine and coat the vegetables well with the chipotle mayonnaise. Set aside.

2.
In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the egg with a splash of water, a pinch of salt, and the hot sauce. Pour the panko and flour onto two separate large plates. Pat the fillets dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.

3.
Dredge the fish in the flour and knock off the excess. Dip the fish into the egg to coat it completely and then coat it thoroughly with the panko. Place the fillets on a platter as they are breaded.

4.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers and is very hot, slip the breaded fish into the pan and brown it on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, another 3 minutes. Transfer the fish to paper towels to drain.

5.
Pour off the oil in the pan (pouring it into a metal can in the sink works well) and return the pan to the heat. Dump the slaw mixture into the pan and toss it for about 1 minute to warm it up. Don’t cook it so long that it completely wilts. You want it to have a little crunch. Return the slaw to the bowl so that it doesn’t overcook.

6.
Warm the tortillas wrapped in microwavable plastic wrap until soft and pliable, 20 to 30 seconds. Lay the fish down the center of the tortillas and top it with the slaw. Wrap in the sides and bottom and eat these fish tacos with your hands. Use lots of napkins.

variation:
Other fish to fry are cod, tilapia, or even salmon cut into wide strips.

it’s that easy:
Chipotles are smoked jalapeño chiles, usually packed in adobo, a spicy tomato sauce. You can rarely use the whole can in a recipe because they are quite hot, so I freeze the remaining chiles in zippered plastic freezer bags to use another time. You can find canned chipotles in Latin groceries and well-stocked supermarkets. Be cautious when handling the chiles, as they can be quite hot. Wear gloves if you are sensitive or try not to touch them with your fingers too much.

extra hungry?
Since you’re eating this meal with your hands, how about pairing it with a bowl of your favorite potato chips?

in the glass:
A Spanish Albariño would be my choice here. It has the acidity to cut the richness of the tacos but with a softer, creamy edge.

Panko-Fried Crab Cakes

with
HEIRLOOM TOMATO, NECTARINE,
and
AVOCADO SALAD

Even if your store-bought tomatoes aren’t as good as Grandpa used to grow, the nectarine’s bright acid is guaranteed to liven up this salad dressed in a simple pesto vinaigrette. The cooking part of this recipe is a fairly traditional crab cake, with just enough bread crumbs and mayo to lightly hold it together. The avocado is the unifying force that makes this salad such a charmer. Grandpa would be so proud.

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START TO FINISH
45 minutes

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HANDS-ON TIME
30 minutes

...

serves 2

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2 tbsp minced green onion

2 tbsp minced red bell pepper

2 tbsp minced celery

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus 1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 oz/225 g fresh backfin or lump crabmeat, picked over for shell fragments (see “It’s that easy”)

1 egg white, beaten

⅓ cup/40 g panko bread crumbs, plus ½ cup/55 g

1 tbsp pesto, purchased or homemade

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp/60 ml olive oil

2 handfuls baby greens (I buy them already washed)

1 heirloom tomato (or the best you can find), sliced

1 nectarine, pitted and sliced

½ ripe avocado, peeled and sliced (see “It’s that easy,”
page 60
)

1.
In a large bowl, combine the green onion, bell pepper, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, mustard, ½ tsp salt, and a grind or two of pepper and stir to mix well. Add the crabmeat, egg white, and ⅓ cup/40 g panko. Toss lightly to combine the crab with the veggies and flavorings, but not so much that you break down all the nice chunks of crab. Form the crab mixture into four cakes about ¾ in/2 cm thick. If the mixture is too loose to form into cakes, refrigerate it for about 15 minutes so it
firms up. Pour the ½ cup/55 g panko onto a plate and press the cakes into the crumbs on both sides so that they adhere. Refrigerate the cakes on a plate while you assemble the salad.

2.
Combine the pesto, vinegar, a sprinkle of salt, a grind or two of pepper, and 2 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to blend well. Set it aside.

3.
Arrange the greens on two chilled plates and top them with the tomato, nectarine, and avocado. Drizzle the pesto vinaigrette over the salads and set them aside while you fry the crab cakes.

4.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil shimmers, carefully slide the crab cakes into the pan and fry for 3 minutes on the first side, flip them over with a thin-edged spatula and cook on the second side until they are browned on the outside and hot and creamy on the inside, another 2 or 3 minutes. If the cakes are browning too fast, turn off the heat and let them sit in the pan for a few minutes so they continue to heat through. Transfer the crab cakes to the top of the greens and serve the salads immediately. The greens will wilt a little from the heat of the crab cake, but it will be a good thing. I promise.

it’s that easy:
Thank heavens there’s no need to crack open a crab and manually pick out the meat. Phillips, a widely available purveyor of high-quality, fresh-packed crabmeat, has done all the messy work for you. Look for Phillips or other good brands in 8-oz/225-g plastic containers in the refrigerated case at your fishmonger or supermarket.

extra hungry?
How about a few slices of focaccia from your local bakery? Anything cheesy would be delicious with all the fresh flavors in the salad.

in the glass:
The tart tastes in this salad look for a corresponding tartness in the accompanying wine. Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc is widely distributed and a fine wine for the price.

Stir-Fried Ginger Shrimp

with
SUGAR SNAP PEAS, RED BELL PEPPERS,
and
CORN

Shrimp, also known by the catchall “prawns” in the United Kingdom and other places, are a great foundation for a feed-me-fast meal, because they cook so quickly. But did you know that shrimp also absorbs the flavor of marinades in a snap as well? Just a short marinating time in fresh ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce infuses the shrimp in this stir-fry with a big blast of flavor. They’re a great combo with the crispy, bright green sugar snap peas, sweet red pepper, fresh cut corn, and a hint of sesame. Cooking fast never tasted so good. Just be sure to
eat
it slow.

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START TO FINISH
40 minutes

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HANDS-ON TIME
35 minutes

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serves 2

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2 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1½ tsp chili garlic sauce, plus more to taste

About 16 uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

⅔ cup/165 ml chicken broth

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp vegetable oil

8 oz/225 g sugar snap peas, strings removed (see “It’s that easy”)

2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 small red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and cut into ½-in/12-mm dice

Kernels from 1 ear corn or 1 cup/170 g frozen corn, thawed

¼ cup/10 g minced fresh cilantro

Microwave steam-in-the-bag rice for serving

1 tsp sesame seeds

1.
In a bowl, combine half of the ginger, half of the garlic, 1 tsp of the soy sauce, and 1 tsp of the chili garlic sauce and stir to mix well. Add the shrimp and toss to coat with the spice paste. Set aside.