Marco's Fish Wrapped in Hoja Santa
"Masa means dough. This recipe can also be used as a base to make tortillas or tamales.
Recipe courtesy Chuck Hughes"
photo by Food.com
- Ready In:
- 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 23
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
-
Huitlacoche Masa Dumplings (Corn Mushroom Dumplings)
- 2 tablespoons/ 30 ml canola oil
- 2 cups/ 500 ml chopped Huitlacoche (corn mushroom)
- 1 leek, minced
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch epazote, chopped (or substitute with tarragon or a mix of herbs like cilantro, parsley and chives)
-
Masa Bolitas (Small Dough Balls)
- 2 cups/ 500 ml very fine cornflour (masa harina)
- 1 teaspoon/ 5 ml salt
- 1⁄2 cup/ 125 ml crumbled chiapas cheese
-
Plantain Salsa
- 2 tablespoons/ 30 ml butter
- 2 tablespoons/ 30 ml canola oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 plantain banana, cut in chunks
- 1 tablespoon/ 15 ml bonito flakes
- 1⁄2 teaspoon/ 2 ml whole allspice
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- canola oil, for deep frying
- chia seeds, for garnish (optional)
- toasted macadamia nuts, for garnish
-
Fish
- 4 jack fish fillets, or any white firm-flesh fish you like (about 2 pounds/1 kg)
- 4 hoja santa, leaves or 4 banana leaves
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
directions
-
For the huitlacoche masa dumplings:
- In a skillet, heat the oil and saute the huitlacoche and leeks, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the epazote. Set aside.
-
For the masa bolitas:
- In a bowl, mix the corn flour, salt and 1 1/2 cups/ 375 ml water. Knead to form your dough.
- Pinch off a golf ball-size piece of dough and press the center to form a cavity. Stuff it with some of the mushroom mixture and add some cheese. Enclose the stuffing with the masa and reshape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to deep-fry.
-
For the plantain salsa:
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the canola oil. Add the garlic, leeks and onions, and saute until translucent. Add the plantain bananas and continue sauteing, about 5 minutes. Add the bonito flakes and allspice, and continue sauteing, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the recipient of the food processor and reduce into a coarse puree, keeping some texture to it. Add a little water if too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
-
For the fish:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Wrap the fish with the hoja santa leaves. Place on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- To deep-fry the masa dumplings, heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Deep-fry the dumplings until nice and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking tray covered with paper towels to drain excess oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- To assemble the plate, add a spoonful of the plantain salsa on a plate, lay a piece of fish on the salsa and top with 2 or 3 masa dumplings. Garnish with chia seeds if using and toasted macadamia nuts.
-
Cook's Note:
- Chiapas cheese is a sharp cheese that tastes like aged Cheddar. You can substitute it with Cheddar cheese or any other favorite cheese.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Chuck Hughes
United States
Affable Canadian chef Chuck Hughes is a restaurateur and television personality known for his inventive take on comfort food, which he shares on his show, Chuck's Day Off.
