Cooking With The Wolfman:Cod Martinis w/ Strawberry Peach Salsa
He’s sure to tempt your tastebuds with his dynamic dishes. Chef David Wolfman’s passion for creating unique recipes is evident in his award winning cookbook, Cooking with The Wolfman: Indigenous Fusion, written with business partner and wife, Marlene Finn. Chef Wolfman will be taking two recipes from the pages of this cookbook and bringing them to life at HomeFest presented by Booking.com. Below you will find one of the recipes he will be preparing, Cod Martinis with Strawberry Peach Salsa.
Ok, I admit this sounds a little weird. My original name for this recipe was Cod Ceviche, but then you’d need to know what ceviche (“se-vee-chay”) is and you’d lose the visual image of fish in a martini glass! Ceviche is a dish attributed to the Indigenous peoples of Peru and Ecuador who “cooked” fish and shellfish fresh from the beach by marinating it in the juice of a tombo fruit rather than cook-ing it over heat. Nowadays lime juice and salt are common fish marinade ingredients, but ceviche marinades vary; chefs worldwide have reinvented ceviche by using diverse vinegars, sauces, herbs and vegetables.
It’s generally recommended to use lean saltwater fish for ceviche rather than freshwater fish or oily fish. The freshness of the fish is critical to making this dish, and you need to freeze and marinate it properly to prevent exposure to parasites.
Peaches are not indigenous to the Americas, but they were one of many foods that the Spanish introduced to these lands that the Indigenous peoples welcomed (along with lemons and limes). This is an elegant appetizer that will catch the eye of everyone in the room. Consider doubling or tripling the recipe, and for a large crowd use a clear glass bowl set over ice so people can help themselves.
Ingredients:
8 oz (225 g) fresh cod (previously frozen), skin removed
2 Tbsp (30 mL) fresh lime juice
1 tsp (5 mL) minced jalapeno pepper (or serrano pepper)
1 Tbsp (15 mL) small diced tomato
1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt (or sea salt)
Pinch fresh ground black pepper
SALSA:
2 Tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh mint
2 Tbsp (30 mL) grapefruit juice
1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) ground cumin
2 tsp (10 mL) minced garlic
1 tsp (5 mL) minced fresh cilantro
1 cup (250 mL) small-diced fresh peaches, skin on (or canned and drained peaches)
1 cup (250 mL) small-diced strawberries
OPTIONAL GARNISH:
1⁄2 red onion, sliced paper thin
1. If working with a whole fish: Follow the filleting instructions in “How to Fillet Round Fish” (page 158) for filleting and skinning.
2. Small-dice the fish and place in a nonreactive bowl (glass, ceramic or stainless steel) with the lime juice, jalapeno pepper, tomato, salt and pepper, and allow to briefly marinate in the fridge while you pre- pare the dressing for the salsa. Set the bowl over ice while you prepare the salsa.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the minced mint with the grapefruit juice, oil, cumin, garlic and cilantro. Add the peaches and strawberries and toss. Set aside.
4. To serve, use a slotted spoon to scoop salsa into martini glasses. Drain the fish and scoop over the salsa. Garnish with the onion if using.
5. Serve chilled, keeping refrigerated in a bowl set over ice until the minute you are ready to use it. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 24 hours, after draining off excess liquid.
NOTE:If you make the salsa a day ahead, it will taste a lot better but the fish will toughen the longer it sits in the acidic mixture, so you should plan to serve it within one to two hours of making it.
From the book Cooking with the Wolfman: Indigenous Fusion, by Chef David Wolfman and Marlene Finn, © 2017. Published by Douglas & McIntyre. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.
First Nations Chef David Wolfman is an internationally recognized expert in traditional Indigenous cuisine; a Culinary Arts Professor at George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology; a cooking television show Executive Producer and Host; a culinary consultant; and co-author of the award-winning Cooking with the Wolfman: Indigenous Fusion.
If you’d like to see Chef Wolfman prepare this dish and then have a taste for yourself, click below to claim your FREE ticket to HomeFest.
