Tender fish fillets poached in a piquant salsa verde.
Salsa roja is a perennial favorite, often for dunking tortilla chips in. But salsa verde is another wonderfully versatile sauce that can serve as more than just a condiment. For this dish the salsa verde is made with tomatillos, poblano pepper, garlic, and onion. It is sautéed until softened to bring out some of the vegetables natural sweetness, then blended with cilantro. The result is a smooth, silky sauce. This piquant salsa is then used to poach tender tilapia fillets. It is served over a bed of savory cumin-scented rice and finished with a sprinkling of cotija cheese and crunchy pepitas.
Tilapia in Salsa Verde with Cumin-Scented Rice
This dish starts with making rice infused cumin, which will provide a fragrant base for the saucy fish. While the rice simmers a salsa verde is made. Tomatillos, poblano pepper, garlic, and onion, are sautéed until softened, then blended with cilantro. Finally, the fish is poached in this smooth, velvety sauce. All thats left to do after that is serve it up, topped with a sprinkling of cotija cheese and some crunchy pepitas.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup long grain white rice
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp neutral oil such as canola or vegetable
- 1 lb (about 10) tomatillos, husked and quartered
- 1/2 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 poblano pepper roughly chopped
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 6-oz fillets tilapia
- Cotija cheese and pepitas for serving
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan combine rice, cumin seeds, and 1 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes then remove from heat and let sit, covered, until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet (use one with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add tomatillos, onion, garlic, poblano and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown.
- Transfer vegetables to a blender along with cilantro, oregano, and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend until smooth.
- Pour contents of blender back into the skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Pat tilapia dry with a paper towel and season on both side with salt and pepper. Add tilapia to skillet and turn to coat in sauce. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork then uncover and remove from heat.
- Fluff rice and divide amongst serving bowls. Remove tilapia to a plate and divide sauce over the top of rice. Top with tilapia and finish with a sprinkling of cotija cheese and pepitas.
Notes
Tilapia could be swapped for whatever white-fleshed fish you like, just adjust cooking time as needed for thinner or thicker fillets.
