Grilled Halibut Tostadas with Fresh Mango Salsa

Over a fantastic happy hour of avocado daiquiris and fried calamari, my good friend Beverly and I discussed finding inspiration for dinner. We agreed that it is ridiculously difficult to find new recipes for dinner (epicurious.com and foodtv.com don't count, they're too snobby). This often results repetitiously making the same things for dinner. Way too boring for people like us. We wanted the excitement of something new for dinner. We wanted easy. We wanted healthy. Secretly, we wanted our friends and family, whom we cook for, to jump to their feet with a chorus of praise and applause. Ultimately, we decided that we should share recipes since we have the same desire to eat well and healthy, but may not a lot of time to do so creatively.

Over a week has passed since that conversation. I have yet to send her any recipes, despite making grilled chicken fajitas, chilpotle pork skewers and grilled halibut tostadas. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't rescue her from yet another night of chicken and rice!

So, after little thought and many failed attempts at blogging, I am starting a new blog with the intention to keep a list of weeknight dinners that are good, healthy and easy to make. We'll see how long it lasts. Luckily, even if I don't make it out of next week, Beverly will still have a great recipe for fish tostadas in her arsenal.


Grilled Halibut Tostadas with Fresh Mango Salsa
Inspiration: Eric Collins' fajitas with mango salsa in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
Time: less than 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Requirements: Grill/grill pan
Serving Size: 3 tostadas
Cost:

Grilled Halibut Tostadas

1 6oz fillet of fresh halibut, rinsed and patted dry.
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground coriander seeds
1/4 tsp cumin
1 dash of ground cinnamon
1 tbs olive oil
High quality corn tortillas
refried black beans (I had left overs in the fridge)
small handful of cilantro leaves
small handful of cojita cheese

Mix salt, pepper, garlic, coriander, cumin and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle over halibut. Let sit for 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and sear one side hot grill. Turn down heat to medium low and cook until flaky, but still moist. Remove from grill and let sit 5 minutes. Flake into little bits.

Spray tortillas with a little olive oil on both sides, and as fish is nearly done, toss them onto the grill and grill until they are gold brown on both sides.

Spread black beans onto tortilla, followed by the flaked halibut, and a good helping of mango salsa. Sprinkle the top with cojita cheese and cilantro leaves.


Fresh Mango Salsa

1 ripe but firm mango, cubed
1 ripe but firm avocado, cubed
½ cucumber, sliced very thinly (paper thinly)
1 ripe but firm tomato, cubed (if tomatoes are small, use 2)
1 large jalapeño, pith and seeds removed, then diced
1 lime, juiced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp ground cumin
pinch of cinnamon

Mash garlic to paste with salt, then mix in pepper, cumin and cinnamon. Dilute with lime juice and red wine vinegar, and toss in a medium bowl with remaining ingredients. The longer it sits, the spicier it will be.