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BBQ & Grill

Mexican fish and sweet potato salad

This Mexican feast combines spiced fish cooked in banana leaves with a fresh and crunchy salad.

Ingredients:

  • 50ml/2fl oz fresh orange juice or 1 medium orange, juice only
  • 50ml/2fl oz fresh lime juice or 1 lime, juice only
  • 1 red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
  • 1 habanero chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1½ tsp dried mexican oregano or 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 4 allspice berries
  • 2 tbsp annatto seeds
  • 4 cloves
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed
  • pinch chipotle powder
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 50ml/2fl oz fresh orange juice or 1 medium orange, juice only
  • 50ml/2fl oz cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 600g/1lb 5oz white fish fillets, such as cod, hake or bass
  • 4 banana leaves (optional)
  • sea salt
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped piquillo or roasted red peppers
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • cayenne pepper
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 corn tortillas, cut into 1cm/½in wide strips
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 avocadoes peeled, stoned and sliced
  • 100g/3½oz cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 70g/3oz feta or goats' cheese, crumbled
  • 1 bunch watercress
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp chopped mint

Directions:

  • To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the onion begins to turn pink.
  • To make the fish, toast the spices in a frying pan over a medium heat, until fragrant. Allow to cool and grind to a powder with the annatto seeds.
  • Blend the ground spices with the garlic, chipotle, oregano, orange juice, cider vinegar and olive oil in a food processor, until smooth.
  • Put the fish in a shallow dish and coat in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  • Meanwhile, combine all the salad dressing ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
  • To make the salad, preheat a barbecue or griddle pan. Preheat the oven 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3.
  • Grill the sweet potato for 3 minutes on each side, until slightly charred and cooked through. Put straight into the salad dressing.
  • Toast the tortilla slices in the oven for 5–7 minutes, until crisp.
  • Mix the tortilla slices with the remaining salad ingredients and toss in the dressing.
  • To cook the fish, soak the banana leaves in hot water, or hold over the barbecue, until softened.
  • Wrap each fish fillet in a banana leaf and secure with cocktail sticks. Put the parcels on the barbecue or griddle pan for 5 minutes on each side. Leave to rest for a few minutes.
  • To serve, put the fish parcels on four plates with the salad. Open the parcels at the table and top with the salsa.