Sweet spices blended with chillies and coarse cornmeal make a lovely coating to fish or chicken. Serve with a quinoa salad.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup coarse cornmeal (polenta)
• 2 tblsp brown sugar
• 1 dried ancho chilli
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 500 grams chicken or thick medium-textured fish fillets

Avocado and tequila sauce

• 2 avocadoes
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• ¼ cup finely chopped spring onion
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons tequila

Method

1. Place the cornmeal (polenta), brown sugar, ancho chilli, salt, allspice, cinnamon and cloves into a blender and process until the chilli is finely chopped.
2. Cut the fish or chicken into bite-size pieces and toss quickly in the cornmeal mixture.
3. Heat sufficient the clarified butter or oil to about 1cm deep in a frying pan and when hot, cook the chicken or fish until tender. The fish pieces will take only 2-3 minutes, while the chicken pieces will take 4-5 minutes.
4. Drain the fish or chicken on absorbent paper towel.
5. Serve on top of Quinoa Salad with the Avocado and Tequila Sauce.

Avocado and tequila sauce

1. Halve and stone the avocadoes. In a bowl, mash the flesh until smooth. Add garlic, spring onion, cumin, sour cream and tequila. Season with salt and pepper. Serve to the side of the quinoa salad.