Spicy Fish Tacos with Southwest Slaw

Are your knives sharpened and your avocados ready and waiting?! I think Cinco De Mayo may be one of my favorite food holidays. It's amazing how much it makes me feel like summer has started (or at least it's right around the corner).

Admittedly, the sound of "fish tacos" has never really appealed to me. However, I did come across this recipe which pairs mild, white fish with a crunchy/spicy slaw. I thought I would give it a go....and I am sure glad I did! I am now a fish-taco convert. These were truly inspiring. They were lean, spicy, and had a really satisfying crunch. Plus the avocado cream added a coolness that was delicious.

If you're looking for something a little lighter (hey, I did say summer was around the corner!) or just different for your Cinco De Mayo celebration, then this recipe is for you!




Spicy Fish Tacos with Southwest Slaw
yield: 6 - 8 servings

6 whole Talapia Fillets (or Other Mild Flaky White Fish)
2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (I Use Frank's Red Hot)
Canola Oil (I had olive oil and used that)
Lime Juice, To Drizzle On Grilled Fish
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 cup Southwest Slaw
1/4 cup Cilantro, Chopped Medium-fine

FOR THE MARINADE:
1/3 cup Canola Oil
2 whole Limes, Juiced
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce (from A Can Of Chipotles In Adobo)

FOR THE AVOCADO CREAM:
1 whole Large Hass Avocado, Peeled, Seeded And Diced
1 cup Sour Cream
1 whole Lime, Juiced
2 teaspoons Your Favorite Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt


Important: Make sure the fish is fresh! It should be firm, with good color, and a clean briny (not fishy) smell.

If you can’t find talapia, any mild white flaky fish would work. Mahi mahi, cod, red snapper, or halibut would be fine.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Put the fish in a gallon zip-top bag and add the marinade.

Slosh the fish and the marinade gently in the bag to ensure that all of the fish is coated.

Seal the bag (removing the excess air) and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.


Combine all of the avocado cream ingredients in an medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine, then cover and refrigerate.

Tip: The marinade and/or avocado cream can be made up to a day in advance.

Start your grill and prepare for direct cooking over a hot fire (450-500º).

Remove the fish from the marinade and drain well.

Pat each fillet dry with a paper towel.

Smear each side of each fillet with a teaspoon of hot sauce, applying it as evenly as you can.

Oil the grill grate and both sides of the fish lightly with the canola oil. The oil on the grate will smoke, so wait for it to dissipate.

Put the fish on the grill and cook for three minutes.

Flip the fish over and cook for another minute.

Move the fish to a warm platter, drizzle the fish with lime juice, and cover the platter with plastic wrap.

Quickly warm each tortilla on the grill.

To serve, offset two tortillas by half, smear the inside with avocado cream, add some fish chunks (separated with forks), then top with about two tablespoons of slaw and some cilantro.

Southwest Slaw

1/4 head Green Cabbage
1/8 heads Red Cabbage
1/4 whole Medium Red Onion, Sliced Very Thin (about 1/2 Cup)
1/8 cup Cilantro, Chopped Medium-fine

FOR THE DRESSING:
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise (I actually used Mayo here - surprised?!)
2 whole Limes, Juiced
1 whole Chipotle Chile, In Adobo Sauce (canned)
1 Tablespoon Adobo Sauce (from the canned chipotle in adobo)
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

Preparation Instructions

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl with tall sides, or a large tumbler cup/glass.

Blend the ingredients well with a stick blender, then set aside.

Slice the green cabbage thin (just under 1/4″) and put it in a large mixing bowl. You need about three cups.

Slice the red cabbage just like the green and add it to the mixing bowl. You need about 1 1/2 cups.

Add the sliced onion, cilantro, and the dressing to the bowl.

Stir all of the ingredients well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

(Makes about 4 cups)

Apricot-Horseradish Glazed Salmon

This meal was a dinner that I made for an informal family dinner. The flavor combinations of the apricot and horseradish were surprising and delicious. It's a simple meal to make any weeknight, but also impressive enough to make for company.

The key here is to make sure you get good-quality, fresh salmon. There's nothing worse that expecting a great piece of fish, only to have one fishy bite after another. Fresh fish shouldn't smell fishy at all...rather it should smell fresh and clean (or really not smell like anything at all).

Apricot-Horseradish Glazed Salmon

1/3 cup apricot jelly
1 Tbs chopped fresh chives
1 Tbs prepared horseradish
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, skin removed
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350. In a small bowl, whisk together the jelly, chives, horseradish, vinegar, and 1/4 tsp of the salt.

Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle salmon on both sides with remaining salt and pepper. Lay in a single layer, being careful not to crowd, and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully flip the salmon fillets, and brush the tops with half the glaze.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until the meat flakes easily with a fork. Remove from oven and brush with remaining glaze. Serve immediately.

Orange-Ginger Salmon

With the weather heating up, I always like to find dinners that are a little on the lighter side. I love salmon because it's healthy, but also meaty. Salmon is great becasue it can be a substantial dinner and not leave me hungry a few hours later like some other fish can. This recipe is really simple, but the flavors are bold and delicious - perfect for a quick summer meal.

Orange-Ginger Salmon

2 fresh salmon steaks

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 in. freshly grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup soy or teriaki marinade (recommended: Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce)

1/4 tsp. pepper

In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Set aside a small portion to dip, if desired. Add the salmon steaks and marinate at least 1 hour or up to overnight. (The longer you marinate the salmon, the better!)

Grill or broil the salmon until it is cooked through and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Enjoy!

Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze and Savory Maple-Glazed Carrots

Recently I found a cookbook that my husband and I received as a wedding gift. I collect cookbooks and typically read through them many times, but with the hustle and bustle of the wedding, I never found the time. Now, almost a year later, I decided to check it out and test out a few recipes. I found a recipe for salmon that looked delicious and it didn't disappoint! Also, the subtle sweetness in the carrots combined with the spiciness of the glaze really made the carrots shine and seem anything but ordinary.

I also love how both recipes are perfectly portioned for two people to enjoy a relaxing Sunday dinner.

Salmon with Honey-Mustard Glaze
(adapted from Bride and Groom First and Forever cookbook)

2 salmon fillets (about 8 oz. each), skin removed
3 Tbs. Spicy Brown mustard
2 Tbs. sour cream
3 tsp. honey
1 tsp. dried dill weed
8 crackers, crushed

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Place the salmon on the baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine mustard, sour cream, honey, and dill weed. Spread over the salmon fillets. Top with crushed crackers just before baking.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked through and flaky.


Savory Maple Glazed Carrots
(adapted from Bride and Groom First and Forever cookbook)

3 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1/8 inch thick)
¼ C. water
3 Tbs. butter
3 tsp. maple syrup
¾ tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 to ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (add more or less to desired level of heat)

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook on high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat and continue to cook until the carrots are tender and the sauce is reduced to a glaze, about 7 minutes.

Grilled Mahi Mahi

Now that summer has FINALLY decided to make an appearance, I was excited to make something lighter. My husband and I try to eat fish on days when it's hot and we want something delicious, but not too heavy. Mahi Mahi is a great fish to make because it's light, but also hearty without having that gross "fishy" taste. This recipe is so simple and perfect for a hot summer evening.

Grilled Mahi Mahi

4 Mahi Mahi fillets

Marinade:

(all measurements are approximate - just throw everything in a Ziplock bag with the fish, you can't go wrong!)

1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
1 Dash crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped (plus some reserved for garnish)
1 tsp. garlic salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, pressed/minced

Marinate fillets at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better. Heat grill to medium-high. Cook the fish about 6 minutes per side until it is fully cooked, white, and flakey.