Chile and Lime-Marinated Snapper with Roasted Corn and Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

Who says you can't cook just for yourself? Most of us are always cooking for others...our spouses, our kids, our friends and family at parties. I've always enjoyed preparing and enjoying a good meal. Even in my single days. So I usually don't just settle for pizza or Chinese take-out when I have an evening on my own. This past weekend, I had several nights to myself. Went through the stack of recipes to try and pulled this one out. It's a keeper. And really healthy too.

I especially liked the corn/black-eyed pea salsa. It would be good with shrimp, chicken or even just a bowl of tortilla chips. (Baked ones, if you want to stay on the healthy side.) I'll probably add it to my Southwestern dip repertoire.

I was not quite as fond of the fish. It seemed a bit "soggy" with this particular marinade. Next time I'd probably blot it carefully so it was nice and dry when it went in to cook. Or maybe just use a thinner fillet of fish. Try it and see what you think.

Chile and Lime-Marinated Snapper with Roasted Corn and Black-Eyed Pea Salsa
Salsa:
1 cup fresh black-eyed peas
1 cup water
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 ears corn, husks removed
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced

To prepare salsa, combine the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes or until tender. Drain. (Time-saving tip: You probably could get away with using a can of good-quality black-eyed peas that you've drained and rinsed.)

Preheat broiler. Place corn on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 6 minutes or until lightly browned, turning every 2 minutes. (I grilled mine to great results.) Cool. Cut kernels from ears of corn to measure 2 cups.

Combine corn, peas, 1/2 cup onion, and next 6 ingredients (1/2 cup onion through garlic) in a medium bowl; toss to combine. Chill.


Fish:
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 (6 ounce) red snapper or other firm white fish fillets
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

To prepare fish, place 1/2 cup onion and next 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add fish. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes, turning bag once. (Don't let it marinate much longer than that. The lime juice will start to "cook" the fish.) Remove fish from bag; discard marinade.

Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper evenly over fish. Place the fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and cook 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. (I sauteed mine in a frying pan with a little olive oil and then baked at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Ran it under the broiler for about three minutes to get a little brown.)

Food/Wine Pairing:
This is a great meal for Chardonnay. And you have a couple of ways to go with it. A fruity Chard like Columbia Crest Grand Estates complements the sweetness of the fish and the honey in the marinade. And that fruitiness is a refreshing challenge to the spiciness of the jalapeno. You could also open a bottle of an oakier Chardonnay like Sebastiani. That toastiness will bring out the sweet charred corn and the earthiness of the black-eyed peas. It hit the sweet spot right in the middle when I opened a bottle of Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay. It's like an apple topped with a squeeze of lemon. And its nice overlay of oak gives it a wonderfully creamy taste and texture. Try it; I think you'll like it. Change that--LOVE it.