Memorial Day Cooking

Savor the flavors of the season with fresh ingredients. Enjoy two delicious dishes from the May Seasonal Plate Food Column.

Grilled Fish Tostadas

 Cook's Notes: One can't go wrong with fresh, flavorful, and healthy grilled fish tacos loaded with the best toppings-coleslaw, tomatoes, peppers, red onion, and pico de gallo. Other add-ins include avocado slices, lime wedges, Mexican Crema, and hot sauce. 

Tips: For the best fish tacos, buy thinner fillets because they cook faster and taste better with the marinade. Use corn tortillas to make authentic Mexican Tacos. Corn tortillas can be heated on the grill or in a dry skillet. I used 1 lb. walleye that was marinated and then grilled for this recipe. The best Substitute for Mexican Crema Crème Fraîche is plain yogurt or full-fat yogurt.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean white fish
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Corn white tortillas
• 3 cups of multicolored coleslaw
• 1/2 cup each of diced red peppers, grape tomatoes, and red onions

Marinade Sauce

• 2 tablespoons lime juice 
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon Elote seasoning or cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Fish Tostada Topping

• 1/2 cup each of mayonnaise and sour cream or substitute yogurt 
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• Sriracha sauce to taste 

Directions:

• Mix up the fish tostada topping and set aside. 
• In a bowl, mix the marinade and pour it into a zip-loc bag. Add in fish and marinate for 30 minutes. Drain marinade and grill fish on foil until it is flaky. 
• Heat tortillas on the grill. 
• In a bowl, mix coleslaw, peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Add in fish chunks. Serve open-face on warmed grilled tortillas.
• Top with fish tostadas topping or purchase Mexican Crema Crème Fraîche 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Cook's Notes: A spring favorite that combines strawberries and rhubarb, two of spring's first produce. Tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries bubbling away in their juices beneath a crunchy oat streusel topping is perfect for a spring night, served warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And don't overlook leftovers, which might even be a delicious breakfast treat for some.

Filling Ingredients:

• 4 cups strawberries, rinsed and diced
• 5 cups diced rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon 
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• Optional 1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 stick chilled butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ½ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)  
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans or sliced almonds
• Dash nutmeg

Directions:

• Add flour, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a food processor. Pulse to combine about 2 times on low until the mixture becomes grainy and can be pressed together. Add rolled oats, nuts, and a dash of nutmeg. Pulse once more until incorporated. Refrigerate topping for 30 minutes. 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine chopped rhubarb and halved strawberries in a mixing bowl. Add sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, lemon juice, orange zest, and orange liqueur if using that ingredient. Toss all filling ingredients to combine. Pour fruit into a lightly greased 2- 1/2 -3 qt baking dish. 
• Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees until the fruit is bubbling and the topping has lightly browned about 30 - 40 minutes.
• 
  Enjoy spring as it unfolds each day.