By Case D. Fischer

Fish for Lent

Well Fat Tuesday has come and gone, and Lent has begun. It’s a very familiar site to see friends and family around town today with ashes on their foreheads to mark Ash Wednesday, and everyone is talking about what to give up for Lent to commemorate Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness before he began his public ministry. Giving up one thing doesn’t seem like much when you think about it compared to 40 days with nothing. Another marker of the Lenten Season for my Catholic friends is the practice of eating fish on Fridays. Why do Catholics eat fish on Fridays? When I asked our team member Nicole Whorton, she said, “It was a sacrifice not to eat meat, but mainly because that’s what my Oma told me to do!” That is an excellent reason in and of itself and speaks volumes about the power of passing down traditions. I delved into it  a little further and found that it is considered an act of abstinence from warm-blooded flesh meat, and I have learned that fish is allowed because it is such a great symbol in the Christian faith – the drawing of the fish in the dirt when Christians greeted each other, the fishermen that Jesus called to be his disciples, and the fact that when called they became “fishers of men” for the Kingdom of God. If I have missed any other important reasons, please forgive me.

Anyway, I thought Lent was a good time to focus on fish recipes. After all, even if you aren’t Catholic there are many good reasons to eat fish – mainly because it’s healthy and is a great source of lean protein. Also for my Catholic friends, there are a lot more great options on Fridays than a fish filet sandwich at McDonald’s or a fried catfish platter – not that there is anything wrong with those, but these recipes may inspire you and provide some variety. If I counted right, there are seven Fridays in Lent this year so there will be plenty of opportunities to fit all of the above in at least once.

Some of my favorite products to use with fish are our classic Mango Ginger Habanero Sauce and the newer Pineapple Coconut Mango Tequila Sauce that you can find in the HEB Cooking Connection. Clearly the tropical fruits and south of the border flavors are a good compliment to fish, and the spice of the Habanero gives it just the right kick. I have two simple recipes to share today, a Tropical Salmon Bowl and a Spicy Shrimp Salad. You can use either of the sauces I mentioned above and either recipe can also be turned into tacos, wraps or a salad with a quick change of a few ingredients. I think you will see what I mean when you read them. If you decide to marinate your fish before cooking, you only need to do so for about 15 minutes – fish will soak up the flavor quickly. So, while many of you are contemplating abstaining from something for Lent, just know you can still “spice” things up a bit with a little sauce and a new recipe – enjoy!

Ingredients:

For Salmon Bowl
2 Alaskan Salmon fillets
1 cup cauliflower rice (frozen)
½ cup zucchini, diced
⅓ cup Roma tomatoes, diced
½ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup Four Star Provisions Pineapple Coconut Mango Tequila Sauce or Fischer & Wieser Mango Ginger Habanero Sauce
1 tsp avocado oil
½ tbsp parsley flakes (for topping)

For Shrimp Salad
Salad mix (we used sliced red onions, green leaf lettuce, arugula, and spinach)
½ cup Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ lb uncooked large shrimp, raw
¼ cup Four Star Provisions Pineapple Coconut Mango Tequila Sauce or Fischer & Wieser Mango Ginger Habanero Sauce
1 tsp avocado oil
½ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp black pepper

Directions:

For Salmon Bowl
1. Heat cast iron grill** to medium heat on stove.
2. In a small bowl mix garlic salt, onion powder, black pepper, avocado oil, and mango coconut tequila sauce until combined. Lightly glaze both sides of the salmon fillet.
3. Place salmon on the stove and grill for about 5-6 minutes per side. Set aside.
4. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp avocado oil over medium heat. Add zucchini and fry until cooked through. Add cauliflower rice and cook until water from rice is absorbed and rice becomes fluffy. Add in ½ tsp salt & pepper to taste. Lastly, throw in Roma tomatoes and mix until combined. Spread cauliflower mixture over the base of plate, and top with grilled salmon and parsley. (for extra boost of flavor, brush the salmon with more sauce)
5. For an extra side, toss asparagus & Brussel sprouts in 1tsp olive oil, ½ tsp: rosemary flakes, garlic powder, and onion salt. Add vegetables to the cast iron grill and slowly rotate every
1-2 minutes until fully cooked through.
** Substitute: use a gas grill over medium heat/heat coals on grill

For Shrimp Salad
1. Using a cast iron grill (or any other grill) carefully add the shrimp. Cook shrimp about 1-2 minutes per side until shrimp slightly shrinks and turns pink.
2. Spread mixed greens onto a plate and add cooked shrimp.
3. Serve with your favorite salad dressing, diced mangos, pepitas, lime wedges, or throw it into a tortilla for a grilled seafood wrap.