When I go out to eat and see something on the menu that’s a little off the beaten path, I have a hard time not ordering it. It doesn’t matter if we picked the restaurant based on the fact that I was craving a burger or a big plate of vegetables or some other unexciting dish — if they have something that I’ve never heard of before, chances are I’ll order it. If it’s bad, that just means I get to have dessert!
Rabbit? Check.
Alligator? Double Check.
Salmon en Manchamanteles? I may not be able to pronounce it, but it was fabulous.
This dish, which translates to “tablecloth stainer” (oh boy is it messy!), was on the menu at Rosa Mexicano last summer and I couldn’t resist the description of an ancho chile and tropical fruit mole. Chock full of zucchini and pineapple, the mole was smokey and complex. I loved the sweetness of the pineapple against the rich sauce, and to pair it with salmon seemed totally natural (even though I don’t think I’ve ever seen salmon on a Mexican menu at any other restaurant). I first ordered this a full year ago, and I still think about it. Obviously, I had to try making it at home. I’ll be honest — my version doesn’t compare to theirs. But its still pretty darn good, and easy enough to make on a weeknight.
Salmon en Manchamanteles
Ingredients
Instructions
*If you’re an overachiever like my friend Joanne, you can also make your own mole from scratch. This won’t be a weeknight recipe if you do that though. Also, send me some because I’m not that ambitious.
Cara says
09/06 at 9:37 pmI love the sweet and spicy combo you’ve come up with here – fantastic!
louiee! says
09/02 at 8:13 amYummie <3
Carolyn Jung says
08/26 at 10:56 pmTablecloth stainer! I LOVE that. But then again, some of the messiest food is sure some of the best tasting, too.
Neil Butterfield says
08/26 at 7:11 amFirst time that I have come across something like this, I do like salmon so I guess I should give it a try.
Carrie says
08/25 at 10:14 amWhat an interesting recipe! I’ve never seen anything like it, but that flavor combination sounds wonderful. Gorgeous.
Joan Nova says
08/22 at 8:33 pmI’ve made manchamanteles with meat but I’m sure it’s delicious with salmon too. Your sure made it look it so. Great photos!
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
08/22 at 4:38 pmI have an adventuresome palate and will try things too. My husband had a rabbit dish just the other night at a very classy restaurant.
The black beans and pineapple sound very interesting in this. I love salmon so I know this is something that I would definitely order.
Sam
Heather says
08/22 at 1:29 pmDo you drain and rinse the black beans before you add them? Or do you add them sauce and all?
Lauren @ Healthy Delicious says
08/22 at 1:31 pmGood question! I added the sauce and all – and I should have clarified that I used low sodium beans.
If your prefer to rinse your beans, you might just want to add about a half cup of water to the mix.
joanne says
08/22 at 12:57 pmthis is a pretty genius meal! A great way to make that zucchini taste addictive. Thanks so much for the shout-out! Making the mole was definitely an all night affair…so it needs to be made ahead. But it was so worth it!
Lauren @ Healthy Delicious says
08/23 at 11:13 amOf course! I’m in awe that you actually made it (and it looks so good!). It’s been on my “list” for forever, but I never seem to have the time or motivation to give it a try.
Julie says
08/22 at 12:54 pmWell i know what I’m cooking tonight 🙂
bellini says
08/22 at 8:39 amThis does sound delicious!I am always searching for amazing salmon recipes.