Hoja Santa . . . Finally
I ventured back to Northgate Market on Olympic to see if maybe they had this chile I was looking for. While I was browsing the produce section I saw it, rolled up and neatly placed in it’s own little section . . . Hoja Santa. “You little @&%#,” I whispered. I have been looking for these damn leaves since February. I grabbed a couple rolls of them and then saw squash blossoms! It was my lucky day. I grabbed a ton of those and thanked the Mexican food Gods.
Flor de Calabaza Guisado con Jitomate, Squash flowers cooked with tomatoes. This was recommended to be eaten in a crispy taco or quesadilla. It was so good, I just ate it on it’s own. The flowers were cooked with tomatoes, onions and poblanos. A little spice, a little crunch and really awesome.
Then it came time to using the Hoja Santa, I was beyond excited. Pescado en Mone #1, Fish wrapped in Hoja Santa and baked with vegetables. This is one of two different Hoja Santa wrapped fish dishes. I had two sea bass steaks that were seasoned with salt, pepper and lime. I had previously cooked the onion, garlic, green bell pepper and tomatoes which were cooling off. I wrapped each steak in the leaves.
I covered the now wrapped fish with the sauteed veggies and covered all that with more leaves.
In the oven it went and what came out was perfect. I had it in for 30 minutes and was wondering if the fish would be over cooked, but with the veggies on top and being wrapped in the leaves, the fish was melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked. The Hoja Santa gives such a unique licorice/anise flavor that I have never tasted before. It was really amazing.
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