Hot Plate: Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar's Salmon En Hoja

As Ohioans we’re all pretty familiar with corn — driving past fields of knee-high stalks in the middle of summer and gnawing on sunny-yellow cobs at cookouts. But Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar doesn’t want us to forget about another part of the plant: the husk. Used in traditional Mexican cuisine as a wrapping vehicle for tamales, the outer covering also comes in handy to help steam in flavor for chef and owner Zack Hirt’s salmon en hoja entree ($25). “You don’t eat it or anything,” says Hirt. “It just holds the salmon and helps the inside keep its shape.” A hearty piece of Faroe Island salmon gets steamed for 10 to 15 minutes with a citrus butter made with garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice for a fresh and bright result. “When we steam the butter, it browns and you get a brown-butter salmon,” he says. Served cradled by the husk, the fish sits atop a Maryland crab papa frita (a thick potato cake with crab), a swoosh of smooth avocado mousse and an aji Amarillo relish, a surprisingly sweet Peruvian orange pepper. “You’ve got sharp flavors and soft flavors that come together and just create a whole landscape in your mouth,” says Hirt. 1000 E. Ninth St., Cleveland, 216-737-1000, cleveland.nuevomodmex.com