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  1. Tacos with Salmon, Greens and Tomatillo Salsa

Tacos with Salmon, Greens and Tomatillo Salsa

This easy, tasty recipe comes from Martha Rose Shulman, author of The Very Best of Recipes for Health. As she wrote in The New York Times, “You can oven-steam it ahead and flake the fish, then just toss with the greens and salsa when you are ready to serve the tacos. The fish doesn't have to be hot; but it should be well seasoned. The salsa will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can oven steam the fish several hours ahead and the steamed spinach will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator.”

Tacos with Salmon, Greens and Tomatillo Salsa

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound Vital Choice wild Alaskan salmon (sockeye, silver or king)
  • 1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed, or 2 cans (13 ounces each), drained
  • 3 to 6 jalapeño or serrano chilies, stemmed, seeded for a milder salsa, divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped white onion, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, then drained and rinsed
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons Vital Choice extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 bunch spinach or chard (about ¾ pound), stemmed and washed well in 2 changes of water
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
  • 2 to 3 ounces crumbled queso fresco or feta (optional)
  • Shredded cabbage (optional)
  • 8 to 10 corn tortillas
  • Chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Make tomatillo salsa: Place the tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until softened and olive green. Drain and place in a blender. Add 2 or 3 chiles, chopped onion, 2 large garlic cloves, salt and 1/2 cup cilantro. Blend until smooth.
  2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat until it ripples. Drizzle in a drop of tomatillo purée to test the heat. If it makes a lot of noise and sputters immediately, the oil is hot enough. Add the tomatillo purée, and stir constantly until it thickens and begins to stick to the pan, about 5 minutes. When you run your spoon down the middle of the pan it should leave a canal.
  3. Stir in the stock, bring to a simmer, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. The sauce should coat the front and back of your spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  4. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  5. Cover a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the foil. Place the salmon on top. Season with salt and gently rub the salt into the surface of the salmon. Add pepper to taste.
  6. Fill a roasting pan or cake pan halfway with boiling water and place it on the oven floor. Place the fish in the oven and bake 7-10 minutes, until white beads of protein appear on the surface and the fish can be pulled apart with a fork. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until you can handle it. If desired, scrape away the white protein beads, then flake the fish and place in a bowl. Discard the skin. Season the fish well with salt and pepper.
  7. Steam the spinach or chard just until wilted; about 1 minute for spinach, 2 minutes for chard. Or blanch in boiling salted water; 20 seconds for spinach, about 1 minute for chard. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine.
  8. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy, medium size skillet and add 1 to 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 to 3 minced chiles. Stir until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, then add the greens and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and toss in the pan for about a minute, until nicely infused with the oil, garlic and chile. Remove from the heat and add to the fish. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  9. Heat the tortillas: Wrap in a kitchen towel and place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and steam 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes without uncovering.
  10. Top the hot tortillas with the fish. Spoon on a little more salsa and if desired, garnish with crumbled cheese and shredded cabbage. Fold the tortillas over and serve.
Serves: Serves 3-4