Cookin' ATVS Style: Broiled Fish with Cilantro-Garlic Sauce

So it's Good Friday, a day that I, like the rest of my fellow Southeast Louisiana Catholics, associate with boiled crawfish. Of course, that doesn't always work out, and hey, you gotta seafood. So here's a nice, and very light, recipe for dealing with some fish fillets you might have lying around. It comes together fairly quickly as well, especially if you have the seasoning ingredients handy.

It's out of a place that I've been using quite a bit lately -- John Folse's Hooks, Lies & Alibies, and it involves one of my favorite herbs, fresh cilantro.

Ingredients

6-8 fish fillets (the recipe calls for grouper, but I used speckled trout. As always, do as you must)
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste, obviously)
3 tbsps lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt, black pepper and granulated garlic to taste

Note: Going a little extra heavy on the cilantro or garlic never hurts, in my opinion.

Instructions

1. Wash the fish fillets well and pat dry.

2. Preheat broiler and cover a large baking pan or broiler pan with aluminum foil.

3. In a food processor, add cilantro, minced garlic and parsley. Pulse 5-6 times until well blended.

4. Add tomato paste, cumin, red pepper flakes and lemon juice and pulse 2-3 more times, or until well blended.

5. Turn on the processor and add the olive oil in a steady stream until you have a nice green paste. Season to taste with salt/pepper/granulated garlic.

6. Coat your fish fillets with an equal portion of the sauce, making sure you coat the fillets and rub the paste in well.

7. Broil fish, 4-5 inches from heat source for 6-8 minutes or until the fish is done. Watch to make sure the herb topping doesn't burn.

This'll serve about 6 people with a nice side.