Fish Tacos
We celebrated a family birthday recently and the guest of honor requested Fish Tacos. My husband, being the beef lover that his is, was very apprehensive at the thought of a fish taco, but guess who ended up eating three of them? Yep.
The fish I chose was cod, but any mild white fish will work - cod, tilapia, halibut, snapper, grouper, haddock, flounder, etc. I like to place the fish in the marinade for about an hour before cooking (longer is okay). That leaves plenty of time to make the cabbage slaw and prepare the toppings.
Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw
makes about 8 tacos
Ingredients
Fish:
2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips (*see notes below)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
1 teaspoon granulated onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
(optional) 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Slaw:
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
juice of one lime
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
1 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Additional:
8-inch flour tortillas
lime wedges
chopped cilantro
chopped tomatoes
mexican crema or sour cream
diced avocado or guacamole
Directions
To marinate the fish:
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, old bay, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and optional cayenne.
Add fish strips and toss well to evenly coat; set aside for at least an hour.
To make the cabbage slaw:
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, honey, and lime juice and add the cabbage, corn, jalapeno, and cilantro; toss well and add salt and pepper to taste.
To cook the fish:
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook fish strips in a single layer for a couple of minutes per side until cooked through, being careful not to crowd the pan; repeat until all fish is cooked. Alternatively, you can cook the fish on a parchment or silpat-lined half sheet pan in a 350F oven for 8-10 minutes.
To assemble the tacos:
Place 1/8th of the cabbage slaw in the center of an 8-inch flour tortilla and top with 1/8th of the cooked fish.
Garnish as desired.
Notes
Any mild white fish can be used (cod, tilapia, halibut, snapper, grouper, haddock, flounder, etc).
We like flour tortillas, but feel free to use corn tortillas if you prefer.
The marinated fish and cabbage slaw make a wonderful combination, but each can stand on their own merits so consider serving them separately.