Dude Food: Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa

As I alluded to previously, my boyfriend and his college roommate, are the inspiration for this dude food discussion.  Not used to having a woman in their kitchen, the two seemed to curiously anticipate the dishes I would concoct.  With the cold snowy weather of January and February, I made some rather hearty, comfort food dishes of all organic ingredients, local where possible.  A southwestern chicken soup with cumin, salsa verde, cilantro, and sprouted corn tortillas, biscuits (Sally Fallon recipe) and gravy, chicken pot pie (made with leftover biscuits), a few variations on meatloaf, and salmon tacos with mango salsa. 

Recipe:  Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa
This was our all-time favorite meal.  This was not exactly comfort food, but the freshness was a welcome treat in February. The best part of this meal was the one special taco where fried salmon skin took the place of a tortilla shell.  The textural combination and flavors were incredible.  The fish is separated from the skin with a sharp fillet knife, then it is diced and rolled in the cumin and chili powder.  The combination of spicy fish, sweet refreshing mango salsa, and rich avocado meld together for a truly satisfying taco. 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole filet of Wild-Alaskan Salmon:

(I have found that if you go to the fish counter and ask for a whole fillet of wild-Alaskan or Sockeye salmon, you can purchase it still frozen - which is fresher than buying several thawed pieces from the counter, and less expensive than buying it in the packaging in the frozen section).  Wild-Alaskan or Sockeye salmon doesn't have the PCB contamination and environmental issues that Atlantic or Pacific Salmon has.  

•  1-2 packages of Food for Life organic sprouted corn tortillas (most corn is GMO-contaminated unless stated otherwise or certified organic)
• 1 bunch cilantro
• cumin - 1 tablespoon
• chili powder - 1 teaspoon
• sea salt - Redmond or Celtic is best - pink or gray salt has trace minerals beneficial for your thyroid
• 2 limes
• 1 mango - pick out one that is fragrant and semi-soft
• 1/2 large onion or 1 small-medium size
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/2-1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 2 small-mid-size cloves of garlic

Separate the raw salmon from the skin with a sharp fillet knife.  If you want to try the salmon skin taco, try to leave the whole skin in one piece as you separate it from the salmon.  We then fried this in nitrate-free bacon fat.  Cook the skin until it is just slightly crisping, but still soft enough to bend easily like a burrito.  It may be slightly gummy in places but this only adds to the exotic nature of this food.  Reserve for later.

Cut salmon into 1-inch cubes and coat with mixture of chili powder and cumin.  Heat a tablespoon or so of nitrate-free bacon fat, ghee, extra-virgin coconut oil or butter over medium heat (slightly lower for butter) and cook a few minutes on each side - until no longer raw when cut open.  Do not overcook fish.  Remove salmon from pan and place in a serving bowl.  Sprinkle sea salt to taste.

Mango salsa:

Peel mango, and dice into half inch pieces.
Rinse and dry cilantro, chop.
Dice onion.
Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
Mince garlic.
Mince jalapeno pepper.
Combine ingredients in bowl.
Squeeze a half of a lime or more to taste.

Add sea salt to taste.

Tortillas - spread out on the racks in a preheated 350 degree oven for a few minutes - do not allow to harden!  OR - soften in a skillet (my favorite way) with a little butter or other fat listed above - just a minute or two on each side until soft and tender.  This takes practice to get the right texture.

Cut lime slices for garnish. 

That's it!  Prepare salmon skin taco with a few pieces of salmon, mango salsa, and avocado.  Squeeze lime over everything and roll up salmon skin securely.  Slice in half or in three to share!  I wish I would have taken a picture of ours!

Optional:  Serve with Margarita's over the rocks made from Cabo or Petrone tequilla and Stirrings (natural) margarita mix.  ....  I'm starting to feel like Sandra Lee from Semi-Homemade ....

Healthier Dude Food?

My boyfriend and his college roommate are into food, not health food. They are also into beer. Not having been in college for several years myself, I was somewhat taken aback by the vast amounts of alcohol some college students consume. Being a health coach, I also came to realize that for many, alcohol, perhaps more than overeating, accounts for many extra calories contributing to weight gain. But as I discovered, the beer isn't budging, and so this series of posts is dedicated to other ways that dudes or those who love dude food may improve their health by improving their diet... and maybe also even help out their hard-working liver.

The big question is, what is Dude Food?

Well, I'm no expert, but the common denominator seems to be copious amounts of meat, or fat, or both. What I discovered is that when the meat and fat is in ample supply, simple carbohydrates like bread, potatoes, or pasta are hardly missed and can be a way avoid extra calories that may contribute to weight gain.  (If bread is missed, sprouted or naturally leavened sourdough whole grain breads are hearty and appealing.)  Free-range beef, lamb, pork, eggs, chicken or sustainably harvested and wild-caught fish can be paired with two nutrient dense vegetables like steamed beets and sauteed collard greens for example. Another example is bison meatloaf with whole-grain gluten free buckwheat instead of breadcrumbs, paired with steamed broccoli and pureed parsnips. Granted, this is for those with a well-developed palette, but very satisfying in respect to bulk, heartiness, color, and taste sensation.

Do you like dude food?
How do you define it?

Does any of this sound good to you?