Rick Stein shares two recipes from his book, The Road to Mexico.
FISH TACOS (Serves 6)
12 x 15cm corn tortillas
600g cod fillet
100g plain flour, seasoned with pinch of salt and 6 turns from the black pepper mill
1L corn or vegetable oil
For the batter:
200g plain flour
1/4tsp salt
1/2tsp baking powder
275ml ice-cold beer
For the toppings:
1/4 small white cabbage, finely shredded
1 avocado, stoned, peeled and diced
Hot chilli sauce, such as Cholula or Huichol
For the Pico de gallo salsa:
2 large ripe tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
A handful of coriander, chopped
1 green serrano or jalapeno chilli, finely chopped
1/4tsp salt
Juice of 1/2-1 lime
For the chipotle crema:
2 Chipotles en adobo
3tbsp mayonnaise
3tbsp soured cream
Juice of 1/2 lime
Method:
1. Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan, or in a microwave or in the oven.
2. Get your toppings - shredded cabbage, diced avocado, pico de gallo salsa, and hot chilli sauce - ready. Mix the ingredients for the crema and set aside. Mix the ingredients for the Pico de gallo salsa - starting with the lime - and also set aside.
3. To make the batter, sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a roomy bowl. Using a balloon whisk, incorporate the beer until you have a smooth batter. Set aside.
4. Cut the fish into fingers about 1cm thick. Heat the oil in a large pan to 190°C. Dip a few pieces of fish into the seasoned flour, shake off the excess, then dip them into the batter. Fry for two to two-and-a-half minutes until crisp and golden. Repeat until you've cooked all the fish, draining each batch briefly on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
5. Serve the fish immediately in warm tortillas, with the toppings on the table for guests to help themselves.
RHUBARB GALETTE (Serves 8)
225g plain flour
Pinch salt
170g cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
80ml ice-cold water
For the filling:
500g rhubarb, cut into 6cm long batons (save any trimmings)
Finely grated zest of an orange
200g granulated sugar
Pinch salt
Juice of 1/2 an orange
1tbsp muscat dessert wine
30g unsalted butter, melted
30g caster sugar
2tbsp sugar, for the glaze
To serve:
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Method:
1. In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Add the butter and process briefly. Sprinkle over the ice-cold water and pulse for about five seconds, until just moistened.
2. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead it two or three times until it comes together. Pat the dough into a disc. Lay a sheet of baking parchment on your work surface and dust it with flour. Roll out the dough like a pizza to make a 35cm circle, 4-5mm thick. Transfer the parchment to a baking sheet and chill the pastry.
3. Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C. Toss the rhubarb in a bowl with the orange zest, sugar, salt, juice and wine and mix well. Arrange the rhubarb on top of the pastry and sprinkle over any remaining sugary mixture. Leave a border of 5-6cm around the edge of the pastry, fold that in and crimp to form a border. Brush the fruit with melted butter and sprinkle with caster sugar, then repeat this process three times.
4. Bake the galette for 10-12 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 200°C/Fan 180°C and bake for a further 30-35 minutes.
5. To make the glaze, cook the rhubarb trimmings with 75ml of water until soft. Strain the liquid from the pulp and add the two tablespoons of sugar. Pour this back into the pan and let the sugar dissolve, then reduce to a thick syrup.
6. Leave the galette to cool, then brush it with the glaze. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
The Road To Mexico by Rick Stein, photography by James Murphy, is published by BBC Books, priced £26. Available now.
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