CSA (community supported agriculture) season is here people!  Hopefully the sun will shine a little more in Oregon so I can have fresh veggies and herbs every week.  Nadine from the Dundee Dirtbox CSA has become a dear friend and is delighting me with the fruits of her labor/Oregon bounty all summer long.  I’m sure I’m gonna be cookin’ up some good eats this summer.

This week’s CSA ingredients: rhubarb, spring onions, spring garlic, and fresh herbs.

I had no desire to make a rhubarb pie, or a rhubarb jam, or a rhubarb compote, or anything sweet and rhubarb.  I was bound and determined to make a savory rhubarb dish that was a little out of the box for most people.  Good ol’ Tastespotting lead me the in direction of these bad boys:

Cilantro-Lime Fish Tacos with Rhubarb Salsa
(adapted from Kitchen Konfidence)

Ingredients:

Marinade:
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup lime juice
zest from 1 lime
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp tequila
2 tbsp olive oil
large pinch of red pepper flakes
1 sprig fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp cumin
salt/pepper

Rhubarb Salsa:
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, diced (2-3 stalks)
1/3 cup spring onions, diced
1/4 cup green onions (plus a sprinkle or two for topping)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (plus sprinkle of two for topping)
1/2 or 1 jalepeño, seeded and minced (depending on how spicy you like it.  I used 1/2 and didn’t feel much spice)
1/3 cup pickled cocktail onions (diced)
salt
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
splash of lime juice

Tacos:
1 lbs fresh white fish (I used wild cod, but halibut or tilapia will do)
8 corn tortillas
remaining marinade
1 ripe avocado (optional, but oh so good)

Method:

2-8 hours before you plan on eating these tacos, mix together all the marinade ingredients, put in a big zip-loc bag with the fish, and stick in your fridge until you’re ready to cook.

When you’re ready for dinner, make the salsa.  Here’s how: chop up the rhubarb, boil some water, and blanch the pieces in the boiling water for 20 seconds, then transfer to an ice water bath.  Pat them dry, transfer to medium bowl and add jalepeño, spring onions, cocktail onions, green onions, and cilantro.  Whisk together honey, vinegar, and lime juice and pour over rhubarb mixture.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Now it’s fish time: heat skillet over medium heat and add fish, then pour remaining marinade in the pan.  Poach fish covered, flipping once or twice until cooked all the way through, 10 minutes or so. In the meantime, heat small skillet over medium-low heat, add a splash of oil and fry small corn tortillas until crispy.  6 or so should do it.

When fish is cooked, tortillas are fried, and salsa is ready, assemble the tacos in this order: tortillas, fish, salsa, then top with avocado, and more cilantro and green onion.  Devour and behold the delight of savory rhubarb dishes.  yuuummm…

I made this dish for my mom and dad and here are the accolates:
Dad: “Have the boys you know realized that you can cook?” and “I love what you cook because it’s so healthy.”  Well, yes, I have cooked for plenty of boys and it doesn’t really seem to the be the way to their heart.  But thanks Dad!
Mom: “This isn’t just ‘pretty good’, this is like ‘Mar…this is SO good.”  Glad you liked it mom!  And I’ll cook for you anytime since you love cleaning up the kitchen

Wine pairing for the evening was provided by: Mark Ryan Winery, Vincent Rosé, WA 2010.  Other pairing suggestions: A dry or off dry Riesling, Processco (Bubbles will never be wrong), a Rosé of Zinfandel (not to be confused with a White Zin.  C’mon people.)  or a Muller-Thugau (Anne Amie Vineyards makes one of my favorites).