Inspiration: I was browsing through Natalie’s blog when I ran across this recipe. Bananas are one of my favorite treats, but the thought had never once crossed my mind to try cooking with them. Is it just me, or is that idea incredibly different/odd/intriguing? I didn’t even have the patience to wait for a sunny summer day to throw this on the grill and eat outside with a nice cocktail, as I had originally planned. Next time.

What We Loved: The salsa in this meal is truly fantastic. It’s very mild, light, and fresh, with a creamy and sweet banana flavor. The jalapeños add a lovely kick of spice, and I always enjoy the fresh, clean herbal flavor of cilantro. All in all, the ingredients combine beautifully for a gorgeous, well-rounded topping for this fish. We served this with a hearts of palm salad (recipe to be posted soon) for a great meal that was just chock-full of tropical flavors. I can see this salsa being good in so many applications, including on its own as a salad or side dish.

Helpful Hints: The original recipe calls for the fish to be seasoned with chili powder, salt, and pepper. I chose to mix these seasonings in with coconut flour. It seemed like a good idea – doesn’t coconut sound great with the rest of these flavors? – but I wouldn’t recommend doing it that way. I had a terrible time getting the crust to crisp up (read – it didn’t at all), and the coconut flour didn’t do much in the way of actually sticking to the fish. So I would recommend either following the original recipe (saute the fish with the seasonings in a pan) or throwing the fish on the grill for a nice crispy, grilled crust. Also, Brandon loved this meal but remarked that he thought that the delicate flavors of the fish were just a touch overpowered by the salsa. If you’re worried about that, maybe use a little less salsa than I did. Or, I think that a thicker chicken breast would be also be a good match for this recipe.

Whitefish with Banana Salsa
Source: Adapted (slightly) from The Sweets Life, originally from Clean Eating Magazine

2 whitefish filets
Chili powder
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 banana, chopped
Handful fresh cilantro, minced
1 slice Vidalia onion, finely diced
1/2 jalapeño, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper

1. Mix together the black beans, banana, cilantro, onion, and jalapeño. Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper.

2. Sprinkle the fish with chili powder and Kosher salt, and cook as desired (next time, I think we’ll grill it until it has a nice, slightly blackened crust. The original recipe calls for cooking in a saute pan for 3-4 minutes per side).

3. Serve the fish topped with the salsa.