Acadian Redfish Recipes

Ingredients

Chimichurri Marinade

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves

3 cloves garlic

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste

1½ teaspoons fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Acadian Redfish

1 pound redfish fillets (skin on if available)

2 medium/large lemons

Directions

Chimichurri Marinade

1. Cut about ¼ inch off one end of each lemon, and squeeze out the juice while leaving the lemon intact. Use in the marinade and reserve the remaining juice and squeezed lemons.
2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor, but do not puree. Best left chunky, but mixed thoroughly.

Acadian Redfish

1. Lay the redfish fillets skin side down in a non-reactive dish and cover with half of the chimichurri sauce. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes. Cut the lemons into half-inch slices.
2. Once the fish fillets have marinated, lay the lemon slices on a medium heated grill (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Lay the fish on top of the lemon slices skin side down, keeping the marinade intact. Cook the fish for 10 to 12 minutes or until flakey.
3. Serve with the remaining marinade and reserved lemon juice to drizzle on top.

Ingredients

4–5 cups vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup light-colored beer

2 pounds skinless redfish, cut into four by 1-inch strips

12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas

1 cup Spicy Mayonnaise (Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with one chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce. Adjust spiciness by adding more or less adobo sauce)

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 ½ cups tomato, diced

1 avocado, skinned, cored, and sliced

Lime wedges (for serving)

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pour the oil into a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan until the oil measures 3 inches deep, and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees.
3. While the oil heats, whisk the flour, salt, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne together in a large bowl.
4. When the oil is almost ready, whisk the beer into the flour mixture until completely smooth.
5. Wrap a stack of corn or flour tortillas in foil and warm on a baking sheet in the 200-degree oven while frying the fish.
6. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Add half the fish to the batter and coat. Use tongs to transfer the fish from the batter, one at a time, to the hot oil.
7. Fry, stirring the fish gently to prevent the pieces from sticking together, until golden brown (about 5 minutes).
8. Remove the fried fish from the oil and let drain briefly on paper towels. Transfer the drained fish to the oven to keep warm. Batter and fry the remaining fish.
9. Smear each of the warm tortillas with 1 tablespoon of Spicy Mayonnaise; add shredded cabbage, tomatoes, and avocado.
10. Add one to two pieces of the fried fish to each tortilla and garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.

Recipe credit: The Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Portland, Maine