Baked Chipotle and Mezcal Haddock Tostadas
The summer holidays are nearly over but the season and nice weather gets to stay with us a bit longer, during this time there is nothing that I love to cook and eat more than fish and seafood recipes, not only I find them quick to prepare but I feel that they bring the energy to my body that this season requires, without making me feel heavy.
So every Tuesday I go to the fishmonger that comes into my village from Grimsby and see what he is selling that day, I often pick up a few large fillets like haddock, cod or salmon, because I know that they are great baked and cooked in no time, the kids love a meaty flaky fish so these are great for that.
I would normally add a rub to them from a spicy one like chipotle, or harissa , to a mild one like homemade pesto, a bit of olive oil or butter, salt and pepper and that’s it! Just stick it in the oven until cooked , serve the fresh flaked meat into tacos or like I did in this recipe over oven baked tostadas.
This recipe is perfect when I’m craving something fresh and tasty, I love everything about theses tostadas, they are so easy to make plus healthy and full of flavour.
I truly believe that you don’t have to sacrifice on taste to have a healthy diet, cooking from scratch and at home is a big help as you know everything that is going into that meal that you are preparing for yourself and your family and therefore is normal to get a bit more conscious about what you add into it as well.
To me a healthy diet is one that includes all of the food groups including carbs as well as fat, it’s all about balance.
For a kiddy friendly version I add pesto to the fish instead of chipotle paste, and keep the guacamole mild, what I recommend to do is a smaller batch for them without the chilli and make an adult version too, then everyone is happy!
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
Baked Chipotle Halibut.
800 - 1kg Haddock fillet.
2 tbsp chipotle paste, (sold in most supermarkets just make sure is paste and not adobo as the chilli is more concentrated on the first one, therefore more flavour ).
1 tbsp butter.
1 tbsp olive oil.
1/2 shot of mezcal or tequila.
Maldon salt and black coarse pepper.
Quick Guacamole with zucchini.
1 fresh jalapeño, (roughly chopped).
3 ripe avocados.
1/2 lemon (juice).
1/2 white onion, (finely diced).
1 small zucchini, (finely diced).
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
Maldon salt and blak coarse pepper to season.
Lemon Mayo.
1 cup of mayo.
1 lemon (zest and juice).
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil.
Salt and black coarse pepper to season.
Tostadas.
12-16 tortillas, ( a day stale preferably are better for tostadas).
Bake over a large baking tray at 180 C, from 6 to 8 minutes or until crispy, flip them over half of the way from cooking.
Once ready remove them from the oven and allow them to cool down before serving.
Garnish.
Fresh blue corn flower petals and calendula petals, you can use any edible flower of your choice, or they can be dried edible flowers too, trust me they will give that extra special touch to your tostadas.
Fresh limes to squeeze over your tostadas.
Method:
Preheat your oven at 180 C.
In a big size baking dish add a drizzle of olive oil in the base to avoid the fish from sticking, then place your fish fillet (or fillets) and with the help of kitchen paper path dry gently the surface of your fish.
Spoon the chipotle paste on top and rub it all over making sure it covers all your fish, add the mezcal simply drizzled on top, scatter the butter on top and season with a good pinch of maldon salt and black coarse pepper, bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or so.
*Cooking time might vary from oven to oven so check your fish is cooked by simply prickling the flesh with a pairing knife, it should be flaky and moist when is ready.
Note: I buy my fish with the skin on, it helps to keep the fish moist while cooking as well as a deep baking dish, do not use a flat tray as it would dry up. If a flat tray is all you have cover your fish with tin foil when cooking.
While your fish is in the oven make your guacamole:
I prepare this guacamole in a molcajete or you can use pestle and mortar, I add the jalapeño first with a bit of salt and crush it to get all the chilli flavour out.
Then scoop your avocado flesh and lemon juice into the molcajete, and crush it roughly, doesn’t need to be really smooth.
I finally add the onion, zucchini and extra virgin olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and black coarse pepper, integrate everything with a spoon and serve.
*You can add more chilli if you like your guacamole more spicy.
For the lemon mayo:
Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk, taste, adjust seasoning if necessary and reserve.
To serve you have two options :
Place in the middle of the table the tostadas, guacamole, lemon mayo and cooked fish so that everyone can help themselves and make their own tostadas.
Or
Serve your tostadas ready and assembled in a pretty platter.
For this simply add a good amount of guacamole in all the tostadas, then scoop the flaky fish and serve on top of each tostada (don’t forget to add the pan juices ), distribute the fish evenly on all the tostadas.
Finally add lemon mayo drizzled on top, and garnish with fresh edible flower petals, or finely chopped coriander, serve and enjoy!
