Fish Tacos with Mango Slaw
My first experience eating fish tacos was at a little restaurant called Rosy's at the Beach in Morgan Hill, California back in 1999. (They are still in operation, and the tacos were voted #1 by the San Jose Mercury News in 2016!) Being a Midwesterner, fish tacos didn't sound particularly appetizing, but one bite and I was "hooked"! This is my version of fish tacos. The tacos at Rosy's were made with corn tortillas, with a choice of grilled salmon, prawns, or ahi tuna, cabbage slaw, avocado, and salsa. My version is made with flour or corn tortillas, seasoned broiled white fish (because it is readily available and affordable, but you could use any firm fish you like), a cabbage and mango slaw, and an avocado-lime crema, topped with cilantro and a little jalapeno if you want more heat. If you've never dared try one, make these. I think this recipe will "reel you in". Serves 4
For the fish:
1 pound of fish of your choice such as cod, pollock, etc. (You could also use ahi tuna, salmon or shrimp)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 canned chipotle peppers
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, minced
Place the fish in a 1-gallon self-sealing freezer bag. Place the next 7 ingredients in a small food processor and blend 'til smooth. (Alternately, process with an immersion blender in a liquid measuring cup or in a blender.) Pour over the fish in a one-gallon freezer bag. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade over all surfaces of the fish. Refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to six hours, turning occasionally.
When it's time to make the tacos, preheat the broiler to high. Remove the fish from the marinade and shake off excess. Place the fish on a sheet pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Place under the broiler and broil until the fish is cooked through and not at all translucent, without turning. Remove from the broiler and keep warm while assembling the tacos.
Make the slaw:
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 large mango, peeled, and cut into julienne strips
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ancho chili powder
Place the cabbage, mango, onions, and jalapeno in a bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the slaw. Toss to coat everything, cover bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate until ready to serve tacos.
Make the Avocado-Lime Crema:
3/4 cup sour cream
1 medium avocado, pitted, flesh scooped out with a spoon
3 Tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
Large pinch of salt
In the jar of a blender or small food processor combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Store covered with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of the crema in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Assemble the Tacos:
8 6-inch flour or corn tortillas, (I used 8-inch for those pictured above, but smaller is better!)
Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray lightly with non-stick spray. Place the tortillas in the skillet, one at a time, and cook on each side until dark brown spots appear. Stack in a large sheet of aluminum foil and wrap to keep warm while cooking the rest. (You could just warm them in the oven, but they taste raw and don't compliment the rest of the ingredients. Take the time to grill them!)
Place a portion of fish on a tortilla, top with a generous amount of the slaw, and top with some of the crema. Garnish with additional cilantro and chopped jalapeno, if desired.
Serve immediately.
