Perch Tacos with Salsa Verde
This taco recipe is a simple, full proof meal that can be easily modified to your liking. Combining the sweet tang of tomatillos (even easier to grow than tomatoes) and the smokiness of jalapenos hits a perfect balance. Paired with the light fresh texture of winter white fish, we see it pleases almost any palate.
“Son!” is the constant refrain heard from inside the Ice Shanty throughout the winter. That’s short for “it’s on!”-a phrase we learned quickly when perch and trout fishing out on the ice with family and friends. Once the state fish and wildlife department announces the ice is thick enough and safe, the shanty is skied out to live on Lake Paterson until the spring thaw. (It is converted into “deer camp” in the fall.)
And through the winter, patiently braving the cold is rewarded with buckets of fresh, flaky perch, delicate trout and delectable Kokanee (lake dwelling sockeye salmon).
Since the fish and water are so cold in the dead of winter, there is never a trace of “fishy” flavor in these perch. They may be smallish, even tiny, but are so fresh and prolific that it is completely worth the effort. Being small fish, they are perfect for tacos, chowders or an easy fish and chips.
Ice fishing is fun and productive. It is a wonderful first fishing experience for children because they can easily bait their own hook, catch their fish and keep going at it, all by themselves.
The first time that Phoenix age 6, went ice fishing, he was so ecstatic that he plunged his hands into the icy water, refusing gloves, bringing up one fish after another off his line. (That’s not to suggest you catch the perch with your hands, he was just very enthused.)
Paired with the Salsa Verde below this recipe is packed with flavor.
1 lb Perch or other white fish such as halibut or snapper
t 1.c bread crumbs
1 large organic egg or 2 small
1 c. Jalapeño Salsa Verde
1-3 T. Olive oil
8 tortillas
1 c. shredded purple cabbage
½ c. Mexican crema or creme fraiche
½ c. additional Jalapeño Salsa Verde or Tomato Salsa
1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
½ c. green onions
Lime wedges for serving
The fish works well breaded and fried, or quickly broiled. For frying, mix your eggs, briefly soak the fish fillets, then bread. In a heavy sauté pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Arrange the fish on the pan and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and cook until the fish is opaque throughout, about 1-2 more minutes more. Timing depends on the thickness of your fish. Rather than time it exactly, take your cue from the fish.
To assemble each taco, place 1/8 of the fish in the center of the tortilla and top with 2 T. cabbage, 1-2 T. crema, 1-2 T. salsa, then garnish with 1 T. cilantro and 1 T. green onions. Wrap and bake briefly or sauté in a heavy skillet. Serve the tacos with lime wedges, sour cream or topping of choice.
Jalapeño—Tomatillo Salsa
2 Pint Yield
This salsa recipe is one of our favorites. It combines the exotic sweetness of tomatillos with the smoky zest of jalapeños. Without being big and chunky in texture, it is much thicker than similar tomato salsas. Go liberal on garlic and cilantro to taste, as the salsa benefits from each. And feel free to change up the ratios to your liking–with this recipe it is fun to get creative.
We’ve been whittling down this salsa for years and one thing is for sure: amount does not equate to quality. Even the smallest batch of this salsa goes a long way, both because of its flavor and thickness. It’s definitely spiced up our winter nights:) Enjoy!
5 1/2 c. husked and chopped Tomatillos
1 c. chopped Jalapenos, fresh or roasted
1 c. chopped onion
6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 t. salt
2-3 T. freshly ground cumin
1/2 c. cider vinegar
up to 1/2 c. other pepper variety to taste such as green chills or cayennes (optional)
1/4 c. lime juice
1/2 c. cilantro
Chop tomatillos, peppers, onion and garlic separately by hand or food processor. Combine all ingredients except cilantro and lime juice in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Add lime juice and cilantro for last 2 minutes of cooking. Ladle hot salsa into jars. Can in water bath or pressure cooker, or enjoy fresh.
recipe Serves 4
Note: We usually make a double or triple batch of this salsa. It is just as good preserved by canning or freezing.
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Rachelle Weymuller @ Caramelize Life
Home Away From Home
Caramelize Life 
Jan 20
This Post Is Dedicated To…
To break from my norm, I dedicate this post to you; my readers. Thank you for choosing to subscribe to and support Caramelize Life, I’m glad you are enjoying our hard work. This is not my normal story or recipe but it’s what matters most: the connection with each other about things that interest us.
When I first thought about this blog it was an unusually warm winter and we found ourselves congregating around a friend’s table enjoying a delicious meal. It was the winter we lived in Chamonix, France and our kids brought us together. I can be shy sometimes and I am thankful for this wonderful family. I have learned so much from them and have warm memories of our times together. What came from our ritual midday espresso and blend of Russian, English and American meals prepared high in the French Alps was this blog. It is here to highlight the gems in life. Friends and community are what sparkle most, I find.
In my venture into the blogosphere I have jumped in with both feet (good thing I took swimming lessons as a kid!) I love photography, writing, travel, nature and the outdoors. I enjoy giving kudos to those following their passions and searching for the silver lining in everything. It’s not easy and it takes dedication. One grumpy morning a few years back I remember having a conversation with my happy-go-lucky husband about choices. He was explaining to our then single-digit daughter that he makes a decision every day when he awakes to chose to be happy. That may not be the way he awoke but that would be his decision to go into the day positively. As with anything that is really worth something it takes practice and may not always come out perfectly.
And this is how I see my project Caramelize Life, a way to practice making that decision each day to find the good, highlight those doing the same and enjoy all aspects of what life brings (even the not so happy parts) because we are all connected. In six degrees of separation we all overlap somewhere. It’s a learning process and I will share each one as I bumble along.
To better equip myself so that I am a better blogger (and so you get a better experience) I have put myself in the blogging equivalent of an obstacle course, figuring out new terms and technologies, dedicating myself to learning everything I can about WordPress and how to get the most out of the platform I am using. For what it’s worth, I give a standing ovation to those who work at WP and make it happen because they know what they’re doing and are quick and responsive to everything I’ve ever asked. They’ve created a vast community of talented people and continue to support bloggers like me to join at their table and share our thoughts. In my WordPress 101 class today we were instructed to write about a blog that we had commented on previously. Why we chose to we stop and what jumped out at us, moving our fingers to comment on their post. I couldn’t think of anything at first but that’s what is so freaking fun about blogging and the community out there in the ether. We might visualize the cloud of words up above us floating around but each one of those words links back to a human being who has taken the time and courage to produce their ideas into a form and share them so we may enjoy and experience them. When it strikes a cord I leave a comment to acknowledge their work, to learn more or simply engage.
In response to my daily assignment, my last comment that I left was on Toronto Cooks. It was a simple statement about eating out in their about page that caught my attention. They choose to eat “in”. Which got me to thinking about why I “eat in”. I simply do because there are few options where I live. Since there are very few options to “eat out” it has an affect on how we gather and our patterns as a community. This small statement is really a large part of what forms our small rural community, that when described, well traveled people, say ours is unique. This got my mind linking thoughts as to what that recipe is, to make a strong community? Could it be that we gather around tables and share meals, breaking bread together so to speak that keeps us connecting? Could it be that we have perfected the potluck dinner? Or maybe it’s that we share a positive outlook to making things happen? I’m not entirely sure but it really seems to work.
So, I thank you, readers, for being a part of the Caramelize Life community connecting and engaging in making life sweeter through sharing our life’s stories here in the blogosphere. Cheers, to many more posts and friendships made.
Rachelle @ Caramelize Life
“Making Life a Little Sweeter through Food, Travel and Community”
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