Entrée – Seafood
Braised Fish in Romaine Leaf with Tequila Sauce & Mango Salsa

Yield: two portions

Ingredients:

1/4 c.	red bell pepper, small dice
2 Tbsp.	red hot pepper, small dice
1 c.	ripe mango, or reconstituted dried mango, cut into small dice
1 Tbsp.	fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 tsp.	fresh ginger, chopped fine
1/4 c.	fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1/8 c.	fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 Tbsp.	fresh lime juice or tequila
as needed	salt
8 oz.	fresh white fish (halibut, sea bass, snapper, grouper, or orange roughy)
as needed	salt
as needed	ground black pepper
1 c.	water
2 each	romaine lettuce leaves, large
1/4 c.	cilantro, chopped
1/4 c.	parsley, chopped
1 tsp.	fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 c.	whole cold butter
2 Tbsp.	tequila, preferably mescal

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Procedure:
Combine the first 9 ingredients for the mango salsa and chill at least four hours or overnight.

Cut the white fish into four pieces of even thickness; two pieces will be used per order.

Bring the water to a boil in a large sauce pot with a lid. Remove a small part of the thickest center core of the leaves of romaine. Lay them into the water for about 20 seconds or until they wilt. Shock them in cold water so they stop cooking.

Season the fish on both sides. Place the pieces on the lettuce leaf on top of each other. Gently roll the lettuce up, starting at the core end, and tuck in the edges so that the fish is sealed inside. Place into the water and add the second cilantro, parsley, and ginger. Lower the heat and braise the fish for about 5 minutes, covered.

Remove the fish from the pan. Return the pan to high heat and reduce the cooking liquid until it is almost dry. Remove from the heat and add the butter and tequila. Stir quickly until the butter melts and absorbs the cooking liquid and the tequila.

Serve the fish in the lettuce leaves, cut on the bias, in a pool of the tequila butter sauce on top of the salsa.