October is National Seafood Month…and adding these Alaska Halibut Tostada Bites with Pineapple-Bacon Jam to your menu is one tasty way to celebrate. They’re great for appetizer and Happy Hour menus, during October and all year long.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Alaska Seafood
Makes 6 tostadas
6 thin, slant-cut pieces Alaska Halibut, about 3/4- to 1-ounce each
1½ t. Chipotle Salt (recipe follows)
Vegetable oil for cooking
6 (2 ¾-inch-diameter) corn tortilla rounds, fried crispy and lightly seasoned
3 T. mashed, seasoned, cooked black beans, warmed
½ c. very thinly shaved green and red cabbage
3 T. Pineapple Bacon Jam, warmed (recipe follows)
For garnish: cilantro sprigs, crumbled cotija cheese, and lime squeezes
The Pineapple Bacon Jam:
½ small red onion, cut into chunks
½ fresh ripe pineapple, cored, peel cut off, cut into chunks
1 T. hot sauce
2 T. white wine vinegar
½ c. (3 oz. wt) ¼-inch-diced raw bacon
Pulse onion and pineapple in a food processor until chopped into ¼-inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl and mix in hot sauce and vinegar.
Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high to high heat. Cook bacon until crispy and then remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add pineapple mixture to the hot bacon fat, and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until liquid is reduced and jam has begun to thicken. Continue to cook, stirring, until pan is slightly dry and mixture begins to caramelize. Increase heat to high if necessary to increase caramelization. Remove from heat and stir in reserved bacon. Cool. Hold refrigerated for service.
The Chipotle Salt:
¼ c. kosher salt
2 t. chipotle chile powder
1 T. granulated garlic
2 t. ground coriander
Mix all ingredients. Store tightly covered. Remix before using as ingredients settle out on standing.
To prepare fish: Pat fish dry and season on each side with chipotle salt. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat with a little vegetable oil. Sear the fish for about 1½ minutes on each side or until just cooked through.
To assemble the bites: Divide black beans between tortillas. Top each with a little cabbage mixture and then top with fish. Dollop each tostada with pineapple bacon jam. Garnish with cilantro and a sprinkling of cotija cheese. Squeeze a little fresh lime juice over the top if desired.