Fish tacos are easily abused – they are so quick, fresh-tasting and healthy that you’ll want to make them twice weekly until your husband has to ban you from making fish tacos because as good as they are, who wants fish tacos 10 times a month? I do, that’s who. But in the interest in feigning “concern” and “partnership” and sundry other ideals I apparently vowed to feign on our wedding day, I have gone entire months without making fish tacos. Not exactly out of deference to C but so that once summer arrives I can go back to making them way too often with the excuse that they’re the ultimate summer meal. Even he agreed the other night. We’ll see how fish taco-friendly he is come August.
The first fish tacos of 2009 were made of halibut, and after experimenting with a few species, I’d say halibut’s my favorite. Wild-caught never-frozen halibut isn’t cheap, but the rest of the ingredients – tortillas, cabbage, sour cream – aren’t exactly bank-breakers, so try halibut at least once and go back to a less spendy fish if you must. Mahi mahi, cod, snapper and tilapia are other good fish taco fish.
Breaded (or battered) and fried fish (or shrimp) make a positively sublime fish taco, but our aim here is to grill healthy meals blah blah swim suits blah blah what kind of robots are the mothers of Tink’s classmates who just gave birth a month ago and are now inviting us over to their pool blah blah. I know – make fried fish tacos in the colder months, when your husband thought you’d be giving fish tacos a rest. Haaahaaahaaa, you’ll laugh maniacally. The fish taco cannot be suppressed.
A note about the tortillas: Corn are more authentic, but feel free to make white girl fish tacos with flour tortillas. I do and have no problems sleeping at night.
Fish Tacos
serves 4
1 pound firm, grillable fish, such as halibut, mahi mahi, snapper or cod
Zest of one lime
Olive oil
Tortillas
Red cabbage, finely shredded
Tomatoes, chopped
Salsa or pico de gallo
Eliz’s fish taco sauce (below)
Preheat grill and get it very hot. When you buy your fish, ask to have any stray bones or skin removed. Or do your boning and skinning now. Zest the lime over both sides of the fish, cover it with a slick of olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides. When your grill is good and hot, toss the fish on. Cook 10 minutes total per inch of thickness. The piece of halibut we had the other night was a little more than an inch thick, so we cooked it about 5 or 6 minutes on each side. Test for doneness by poking the fish with your finger. If it feels springy, it’s not done yet.
Remove fish from the grill and quickly toast the tortillas on the hot grates. Bring everything inside and assemble the tacos.
Eliz’s Fish Taco Sauce
(all measurements are approximate)
1/2 cup sour cream
Juice of one lime
Zest of one lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Next Wednesday: Eggplant Two Ways– panini and baba ghanoush
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Rebecca 06.10.09 at 7:20 pm
This entry made me laugh, because it reminded me of a go-to meal that my husband and I have, which is quite similar but like a WAY cheaper version. Take a can of salmon, mix it up with an egg, cornmeal or breadcrumbs or something to give it texture (we have used grits in a picnh), add some thyme, form into patties and sautee or grill. They are SO GOOD cut up and wrapped up in a tortilla with some fresh greens and a kind of homemade tartar sace (mayo, crema — can usually get it in the hispanic section, but sour cream is the moral equivalent). It sounds like not much, but really, an amazing taste sensation. We have gotten to the point where my husbadn just kid of rolls his eyes when the can of salmon appears from the grocery bag.
eliz 06.16.09 at 2:16 pm
@Rebecca – I have been reading for years about canned salmon and how it’s really the only reliable way to get wild salmon. The salmon at the fish counter is almost always farmed, and farmed salmon doesn’t have all the miracle nutrients of wild. Even though I eat canned tuna, I had some sort of psychic block about canned salmon. But I bought a can yesterday and I’m going to approximate your recipe. I’ll let you know how it turns out!