Fish and Coleslaw with a Caribbean Twist

Do not fear the plátano. Plantains, those weird looking really big "bananas" in the produce section, are really quite delicious! We love fried green plantains with a sprinkle of sea salt on top as a side to go with coleslaw and fried tilapia - it's a nice spin on an old classic!

First I peel the plátano, cut it in half, slice each half into thin slices, poke each slice with a fork (Allan taught me this trick - it helps the plantains fry up better), and then place the slices into hot oil (I use olive oil or grape seed oil, but you can use whatever oil you like). It doesn't take a lot of oil, maybe a quarter of an inch in the bottom of your pan (I use an iron skillet). I keep the heat on medium and flip the slices every couple of minutes. You know they are done when the plantains are crispy and golden. I place them on a towel to drain and tap off the excess oil and then immediately sprinkle them with sea salt. Yummy! 

After washing the tilapia (my hubby won't eat any other kind of fish!), I dip it in beaten egg, and then in a mix of equal parts corn meal and flour with sea salt, black pepper, and a bit of garlic salt, but you can add any seasoning you like. To top off the flavor, I fry the fish in the leftover oil from the plantains. 

This is my recipe for coleslaw - I just kind of threw it together one day and liked the way it came out.

Coleslaw:

1/2 a head of shredded cabbage

1 large carrot shredded

In a bowl I wisk together the creamy dressing and then mix the cabbage and carrots into it. 

Dressing:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt 

1 T. sugar (more or less depending on your taste)

1 tsp. sea salt (more or less depending on what you like best)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

the juice of 1/2 to 1 fresh lime (fresh squeezed lime makes everything better!) 

1 tsp. vinegar (you can skip this if you like, but I like the extra zing) 

If you feel like the coleslaw is too wet/dry add more/less dressing - it really is just equal parts greek yogurt and mayo with fresh lime juice and your choice of savory seasonings. We love to squeeze a fresh lime over the fish  and then toss the juiced lime slices into your glass to freshen up your water. This meal would also be amazing with an icy cold cola - but for health's sake, resist the temptation!!! (or maybe once in a great while splurge, right? :)