Easy Summer Cooking: Poblano Fish Tacos with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

With summer in session, I've been creating new recipes that use fresh ingredients that are in season. Here is the most recent recipe I created which I have also presented on our local KPNX Channel 12 Arizona Midday. This recipe is not only bursting with flavors that contrast each other, but it also very easy for kids and teens to make. Use this recipe only as a guide and add your own flare to it by adding your own ingredients like seasonal vegetables! Please let me know how this recipe turns out if you try it! (I have also attached the link to my first and second segment of the show from July 15th :) )

Roasted Pablano Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Roasted Pablano Cod

Ingredients

1 large Pablano pepper

1/4^th of a large onion cut into wedges

4 cloves of garlic

1/8^th cup of chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons of lime juice

1 tablespoons of Adobo Sauce from can of chipotle peppers

Olive oil

Salt

1 pound of Salmon filets, or any other fish of your choice

Flour tortillas, or any tortilla of your choice

Procedure

1.       Preheat your broiler to 450 F. on a baking pan, place pablano pepper, onion and garlic and toss in olive to coat. Season with salt to taste. Roast vegetables for 1o minutes or until they brown on each side. You may have to flip the vegetables midway through.

2.       In a blender, add roasted vegetables and remaining ingredients, except the fish. Season with 1/4^th teaspoon of salt. Turn off broiler and heat oven to 350 F

3.       Coat marinade on fish and allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes.  Bake fish in oven for 15 minutes or until fish is cooked and is a little brown. Serve with tortillas and pineapple salsa!

Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

1 pineapple cut into ½ inch disks

½ tablespoons of lime

½ cup of chopped cilantro

1 jalapeño chopped

1 tablespoons of olive oil

A pinch of salt

Procedure

1.       On a grill pan, grill pineapple fore 3-4 minutes of each side or until there are brown grill marks.

2.        Chop pineapple into small chunks. Remember to cut around the core!

3.       In a bowl, add pineapple and remaining ingredients. Serve with fish tacos and enjoy!

 First Segment: http://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/12-news/arizona-midday/2014/07/15/12698153/ 

Second Segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI7p9e31svE&list=UUiKesnGVULPNXBBwR705aGg 

Caramelized Pineapple and Chipotle Shrimp Tacos and Spicy Coleslaw by Teen Chef Nikita Bhuyan

Caramelized Pineapple and Chipotle Shrimp Tacos by Teen Chef Nikita Bhuyan

1 Pound of Peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp, tail off

2 cups of fresh pineapple, diced into 1inch pieces

3 tablespoons of chipotle adobo sauce, or to taste

Juice of half a lemon

Warm flour tortillas
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoons of olive oil
Procedure
1.       In a bowl, mix chipotle sauce, lemon juice, pinch of salt and pepper thoroughly, if desired, add seasonal vegetables to this to add an additional level of freshness to the dish. Also add additional chipotle sauce if you would like for the shrimp t be spicier.
2.       On medium low heat, heat the olive oil on a girl pan. Once hot, add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until slightly golden brown. Set shrimp aside.
3.       On same heat, grill pineapple for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown grill marks appear. Assemble tacos with shrimp and pineapple. Serve with spicy coleslaw

Spicy Coleslaw

1 ½ cup shredded green cabbage

1 ½ cup of shredded red cabbage
¾ cup low-fat or olive oiled based mayonnaise
5 drops of Tabasco sauce, or as much or as little as desired
1 tablespoons of chipotle sauce from adobo sauce
1 ½ tablespoons of red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4^th cup of thinly sliced red onion, rinsed well to remove “raw” smell
1.       In a bowl, add all ingredients except cabbages and onions and mix well. Taste to check seasonings. If not seasoned to taste, add more Tabasco or chipotle sauce and/or salt and pepper to taste.
2.       Stir in cabbages and red onion. Once stirred in well, serve and enjoy with tacos.

Tandoori Chicken by Nikita Bhuyan
A classic Indian chicken recipe infused in spices and yogurt. This chicken is traditionally baked in a “tandoor” oven which is a type of furnace oven. But because we do not find this type of over commonly in the US, we must make do with a regular oven J These spices are found in any oriental or Indian market. These traditional spices are full of medicinal values and because the chicken is baked, fats and calories are reduced.
1 Tablespoon of Garam Masala
1 Tablespoon of Cumin Powder
1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon of Coriander Powder
1 Cup of Yogurt
2 Tablespoons of lemon juice, or to taste
2 ½ tsp of Salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into fourths
1.       Mix yogurt, spices, salt and pepper and lemon juice in a bowl.
2.       Score the chicken about ½ inches deep.
3.       Cover chicken with yogurt mixture and make sure to cover score marks. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
4.       Bake marinated chicken in a preheated 365F over for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. If desired, place under 400F broiler to char the chicken. Serve with rice and Indian yogurt sauce!

Peppermint Chocolate Coconut Cookies

3/4th Cup Softened Butter
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Tsp Peppermint Extract
1/2 Cup Sweetened Coconut
1/2 Cup Melted Semisweet Chocolate Chips

1. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg, peppermint and vanilla extract and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together salt, flour and baking powder. Gradually add flour in small additions into butter mixture. You may have to use your hands after a while in order to get a uniform dough!
3. Chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes.

4. On a well floured surface, roll out chilled dough into 1/2 inch thickness and cut out into any shapes. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 9-12 minutes. Watch them carefully, every oven varies!
5. Once the cookies are out of the oven, cool on a baking rack for at least 10 minutes. Decorate with coconut and melted chocolate! Feel free to decorate with any other ingredients, candy canes perhaps!

Cinnamon Roll

Ingredients for dough:
3 1/4 cups of flour
I package of yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
3/4th cups of milk
3 tablespoons of butter
A pinch of salt

For filling:
3/4 cups of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
3tablespoons of softened butter 

Directions:1. Heat milk in microwave for 30 seconds in a small bowl. And butter and melt. Let stand until lukewarm.
2. In a large separate bowl, add all dry ingredients. Stir well. 
3. Add liquid ingredients all at once into dry ingredients. Nead dough for 5 minutes until very soft and pliable. 
4.Transfer dough to a well oiled dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and cover for 35 minutes until doubled in size. 
5. On a well floured workspace, roll out dough to a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread butter on top of the whole surface. Sprinkle over cinnamon evenly, along with the brown sugar. Start rolling from the length side, and pinch the seams at the end of rolling.
6. Cut dough into 12 inch pieces. Place onto a well buttered baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 
7. Enjoy hot out of the oven with your favorite icing! 

Japanese Nikuman (Steamed Pork Buns/dumplings)

Japanese Nikuman (Steamed Pork Buns)

Buns

1 ¾   cup of floor

3 teaspoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of yeast

1 teaspoon of baking powder

½ - 1 cup of Chicken broth

1 – 2 teaspoons of oil

Directions:

1.      Mix together all dry ingredients

2.      Add enough broth to create a soft dough. Add oil

3.      Knead for 10 minute until the dough is very soft

4.      Cover dough in bowl with plastic wrap, and cover for 10 min until dough is doubled in size

5.      Press down the dough to release air and knead for 1 minute. Separate into 16 equal sized balls, and cover with moisten paper towel.

Stuffing:

1 tube of mild pork sausage

1 ½ tablespoon of soy sauce

3 teaspoons of fish sauce

1 cup of cooked and sliced cabbage

¾ cup of chopped green onions

2 teaspoons of sugar

1 tablespoon of corn starch     

A pinch of black peeper

Direction:

1.      Mix all ingredients well

2.      Take a dough ball and with a rolling pin, roll to a 3 inch diameter circle.

3.      Take 2 tablespoons of filing and place in middle of circle.

4.      Take 2 opposite ends of the dough, bring it up towards the middle and pinch together. Continue to do this for all sides, and twist at top when ball is closed. Repeat this step fo all dough balls.

5.      Heat a steamer to medium high, and place about 5 dumplings in steamer. Steam for 15 minute or until meat is cooked. Repeat for remaining dough balls.

6.      Serve hot with the favorite sauce. Enjoy!

Simple Healthy Dish: Summer Bean Salad

Very easy and healthy dish, can be made quickly with simple ingredients. Perfect for summer time.

Summer Bean Salad
Ingredients1/2 cup of garbanzo beans
1/2 cup of red kidney beans
1/4 cup of red onions
1/4 cup of cilantro
1/4 cup of tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons of lime juice
1/2 cup of corn
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Olive oil

Directions
Drain the garbanzo beans, corn and chick peas, if using cans.
Coarsely chop the cilantro, onions and tomatoes and place in a bowl.
Add the garbanzo beans, corn and chick peas.
Add olive oil, salt, pepper and the juice of about half a lime.
Enjoy!