It’s Taco Tuesday!
And I finally have it together enough to share an actual taco recipe on a Tuesday! I usually screw it up and post tacos on, like, a Thursday or something. Not that Taco Thursday can’t also be a thing (it totally is in our house).
You can never have too many tacos, right? Right.
THESE tacos, in particular, are some that I want an endless supply of. Oh. Em. Gee. These are so tasty! And as far as fish tacos go, they are super simple! No breading or frying involved!
Instead, we’re oven poaching the fish with lots of spices and lime juice. Basically, it’s my version of heaven in a baking dish. And you really can’t screw it up! Oven poaching or roasting fish is, in my opinion, one of the easiest and foolproof ways to cook fish. And you can do it a million different ways! These have loads of yummy spices like cumin or coriander and lots of zippy fresh citrus. The result? WOWZA. The fish comes out incredibly, crazily flavorful, and it’s almost hard to believe it’s just cod fillets.
And we’re keeping the simplicity factor in full force when we flake the fish directly in the baking dish, along with any residual cooking juices and spices. SO. MUCH. FLAVOR. Don’t waste it!
The spiced fish gets piled into warm tortillas and topped with a really fun salsa! KIWI salsa!
So, Dan is not a fan of kiwi in general. It’s not that he overtly dislikes it, but it’s not a fruit he would ever choose to eat. Me? I could eat them by the pound, all day, every day. I remember growing up, my mom would stock up on kiwis whenever they went on sale, and it was such a fun treat for my sisters and me. They are sweet and a little bit tangy, and gorgeous to boot! Plus, they’re kinda fun to eat! My favorite way stems back to childhood. I cut the very top off and scoop the delicious flesh out of the skin with a spoon.
This salsa is chock-full of goodness. Kiwi, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, a touch of spice from jalapeños, and loads of lime juice! It hits all the flavor notes: savory, spicy, smoky, tangy, and a touch sweet. It goes really well with salty tortilla chips, too. Give me a bowl of this with some chips and dinner is done.
Given my husband’s kiwi trepidation, I was nervous that when I set these tacos down in front of him he would immediately be turned off by the kiwi. And while that may be true, he DEVOURED them! After he finished inhaling his first taco, he turned to me and said “Wow, Hun, that was really, really good. Very creative and different. I didn’t think I’d like all that kiwi on there, but it was gooooood!” And then he proceeded to eat two more in record time.
Victory!
Ya know what else probably helped my cause? The chipotle lime crema drizzled (OK, fine, poured!) over top of these. They add a touch of creamy richness and smoky spice, and they round out this situation nicely. The best part? The crema is crazy easy to make and can be made a few days ahead and just stored in the fridge. It’s good on everything! Especially those morning eggs. Just saying. A bowl of this does not go to waste in our house!
I like to make mine with mostly Greek yogurt, usually 2% or 4%. It creates that creamy richness in lieu of sour cream and all the added fat and calories. Sometimes, I’ll do a mix of half yogurt, half sour cream. You (really, Dan) can’t tell the difference one bit!
I’m feeling quite proud of myself for this one, folks. Fish tacos done easy. Fish tacos done right. Taco Tuesday done right. Now, gimme all that salsa!
White Fish Tacos with Kiwi Salsa & Chipotle Lime Crema
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Salsa:
- 6 ripe kiwis, peeled and diced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced and seeded
- 2 Roma or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Fish:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ lbs cod fillets (or other white flaky fish)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
For the Crema:
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (I often do half and half)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo, finely minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Serve:
- Corn or flour tortillas, warmed or toasted
- Sliced avocados
- Additional lime wedges
Instructions
For the Salsa:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss well to mix. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. This tastes best if made ahead by an hour or so. Store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
For the Fish:
- Drizzle the oil in the bottom of a large baking dish.
- Place the cod fillets in the baking dish and pat them dry on top with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cumin, coriander, chili powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle the seasoning over the fish.
- Juice the lime over everything and cover the baking dish with tin foil. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- After the fish has marinated, transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork (the actual cooking time will depend on the size of your individual fillets. Start checking around 15 minutes to see if you can easily flake the fish).
- Set aside to cool slightly before flaking the fish into bite-sized pieces.
For the Crema:
- While the fish is cooking, whisk together the ingredients for the crema in a bowl. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside until you are ready to serve.
To Serve:
- Fill the tortillas with some of the flaked fish and top with sliced avocados, the kiwi salsa, and a drizzle of the chipotle crema. Spritz with fresh lime juice (or serve the lime wedges alongside) and serve immediately.
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