Creamy Wild Alaska Pollock Enchiladas
Creamy Wild Alaska Pollock Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 3 poblano peppers
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husks and stems removed
- 2 serrano peppers, stems removed
- 3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 cups homemade or store-bought, low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup loosely packed picked-fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems, plus chopped cilantro for garnish Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds (about 6, 4–6 ounces each) wild Alaska pollock fillets, patted dry
- 16 soft corn tortillas
- 8 ounces shredded pepper-Jack cheese, divided
- 1 cup Mexican-style crema, divided*
Directions
Adjust broiler rack to 8 inches below element and preheat broiler to high. Place poblanos, onion, tomatillos, serranos, and garlic on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place under broiler and broil, turning vegetables occasionally, until tomatillos and serranos are completely softened and lightly charred, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer tomatillos and serranos to a bowl. Continue broiling until poblanos are charred on all sides, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to separate bowl and cover tightly with foil. Continue broiling until onion and garlic are softened and charred, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with tomatillos along with any juices and set aside.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and set oven to 375°F (200°C). Add chicken stock to bowl with poblanos and peel poblanos while submerged in stock. Transfer flesh to bowl with tomatillos, leaving skin and seeds with the stock. Strain stock through fine-mesh strainer into the bowl with tomatillo-pepper mixture. Discard skins and seeds. Add cilantro to mixture. Set mixture aside.
Add tomatillo-pepper mixture to Dutch oven. Using an immersion blender, purée mixture into a chunky sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat. Lightly pat wild Alaska pollock fillets dry and cut in half if they are too long to fit in the pot. Season both sides with salt and pepper and add into the sauce. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in oven to warm (no longer than 10 minutes).
When the fish is cooked, remove from heat and transfer to large bowl using a slotted spatula. Use two forks to gently shred fish (not too small, we don’t want it turning to mush). Add 1 cup of sauce, half of cheese, and half of Mexican crema to bowl and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove tortillas from oven and unwrap. Spread 1/3 of the sauce (about 2/3 cup) in bottom of a 13- by 9-inch casserole dish. Dip each tortilla in the remaining sauce and stack on a cutting board. Working one tortilla at a time, place 2 tablespoons of the wild Alaska pollock filling in a line down the center and roll up tightly. Place in the casserole dish seam side down. Continue until all the tortillas and filling are used (the casserole will be tightly packed).
Spread remaining sauce over enchiladas and lay remaining cheese down in a line through the middle of each row of enchiladas. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly, about 10 minutes longer.
Remove enchiladas from oven, drizzle with remaining crema, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.
*Mexican-style crema can be found in most Hispanic grocery stores or in the refrigerated dairy section of many supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute with 3/4 cup sour cream whisked together with 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Photo/recipe courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. For more great recipes with Alaska seafood, visit Wild Alaska Seafood.
Pollock Encrusted with Caramelized Onion
Pollock Encrusted with Caramelized Onion
Ingredients
- 2 6-ounce pollock fillets
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup dry vermouth
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Mix salt, black pepper and flour together. Heat sauté pan on high heat. Add oil to pan. Add onions and garlic to pan and sauté until the onions are translucent. Dredge the pollock fillets in the seasoned flour. Lay the fillets on the sautéed onions and cook on high heat for two minutes. Using a spatula, turn the fillets once, being careful not to scrape the caramelized onions from the fillets. Cook for one minute. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth. Immediately squeeze the lemon over the fillets then add the butter and let cook on high heat for one minute before serving.
If using skin-on fillets, use white side of fish. To reduce calories, make these changes: Omit the oil and sauté onions and garlic in pan spray. Omit the flour. Season fish with salt and pepper, and apply to sautéed onions. Omit the butter.
Adapted from Chef Steve Sadowski, CEC, CCE, Culinary Institute of Virginia, Norfolk, VA; from “Chefs’ Seafood Symposium” archives, courtesy of Virginia Sea Grant.
Pollock Reuben
Pollock Reuben
Ingredients
- 4 Wild Alaska pollock fillets, 4 to 6 oz.
- 4 tsp Coriander, ground
- Salt and paper, to taste
- 8 slices of rye bread
- 4 oz. thousand island dressing, prepared
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 2 cups Sauerkraut, prepared, drained
- 4 tbs butter, softened
Directions
Season each pollock fillet with 1 teaspoon of coriander, salt and pepper to taste, then using your preferred method of cooking, cook fish just until opaque throughout. Hold aside until needed.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Lay out the 8 slices of bread and spread ½ oz. of thousand island dressing on each slice. Cut each piece of cheese on the bias, and place 2 of the cut slices on each piece of bread, covering as best you can.
Place one piece of fish on each of 4 pieces of bread. Top the fish with ½ cup of sauerkraut. Take the remaining 4 pieces of bread and close the sandwich, cheese down onto sauerkraut.
Heat a large oven-proof sauté pan. Butter top side of bread with ½ tbs of softened butter, place butter side down into hot pan. Griddle until golden brown.
Butter exposed side of bread, carefully flip sandwich and place pan into oven.
Cook 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sandwich is heated through. Remove, cut each sandwich on the bias and place on serving plates. Serve with sides of your choosing.
Photo/recipe courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. For more great recipes with Alaska seafood, visit Wild Alaska Seafood.
NOAA Fisheries Disclaimer for External Links
The appearance of this icon denotes a link external to the Federal Government domain. The appearance of external links on this website does not constitute endorsement by NOAA Fisheries of the websites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than government authorized activities, NOAA Fisheries does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations.