dear cooks,

When Isabel Cruz opened her first restaurant in San Diego, she cooked what she loved to eat: simple Latin comfort food spiced with the Pacific Rim flavors she knew from her old Los Angeles neighborhood. Her trademark blend of Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican, Japanese, and Thai cooking allowed her to cut some of the calories and fat so often found in Latin food without ever sacrificing taste.

In Isabel’s Cantina, she shares her deceptively simple recipes, which rely on the boldly flavored ingredients common to both Latin and Asian cuisines—like mango, lime, chiles, mint, ginger, coconut, and cilantro—to make healthful dishes that are never bland.

Halibut with Cherry Tomato-Habanero Salsa and Cucumber-Cilantro Sauce

Serves 4

Halibut is my favorite white fish: It is simple to prepare and the perfect canvas for vibrant flavors. The habaneros, used here in moderation, add just enough heat to make this interesting. The cucumber-cilantro sauce adds a fresh finish to this colorful dish.

• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 habanero chiles, to taste, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Four 6-ounce skinless halibut fillets
• Cucumber-Cilantro Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, chiles, and mint. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss gently to combine.

Lightly season the fillets on both sides with salt. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place the halibut fillets in the hot pan. Brown for about 2 minutes on each side, then transfer to the oven and bake until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes.

Put the halibut fillets on plates and top with a scoop of the tomato salsa. Spoon some of the Cucumber-Cilantro Sauce around the fish. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup diced, peeled cucumber
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Puree the cilantro, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a food processor or blender until almost smooth with just a bit of texture. Cover and refrigerate until serving, or for up to 2 days.

happy cooking!

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