Hello there, and welcome to our (mostly) redesigned site. It’s a refreshing, clean look that we love, plus it looks a lot better on mobile devices. A lot better.
(I’m even starting to modify a little code, here and there, all the while praying I don’t blow up the whole site as I tinker away. It’s true, a little learning is a dangerous thing.)
We still have a ton of cleanup to do on the blog. There’s always more to add to Ant & Anise, of course. A better search function for recipes. Maybe an ‘About’ page, where we let you know a little more about Ant & Anise than just a sentence or two. Yep, we’re getting around to that.
In the meantime, let me introduce you to one of my favorite dinners lately: Fish tacos.
Why are they such a favorite? Well, they’re easy to make. They’re interactive. I mean, everyone gets to pick and choose exactly what will go into their taco.
Plus, you eat them with your hands. That’s fun, right?
There are a couple things that make a really good fish taco. I think it essentially comes down to a mix of textures and colors: Something soft (grilled or baked fish) + something creamy (chopped avocado or guacamole) + something crunchy (thinly sliced cabbage or crisp lettuce). If you’ve got those basic elements, you can always add in a sprinkle of cilantro, chopped jalapenos, a spoonful of salsa….. you get the idea.
This dinner is really a few mini recipes, brought together at serving time: The marinated mahi mahi, the orange-avocado salsa, the chipotle mayo, and then some chopped red cabbage and cilantro. They are all simple and don’t take a lot of time to put together. When you’re ready to eat, you have a mini buffet of colorful choices to customize your tacos how you like them.
Mmmmm…..what’s Spanish for yum?
Even if you have no warm weather travel plans, dreams of eating on a tropical beach can come true with these mahi mahi tacos. A flavorful cumin-chili marinade adds some spice. Along with the orange-avocado salsa and chipotle mayo, these are satisfying little taste explosions you can enjoy any day.
Ingredients
- 1 pound mahi mahi filets
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon tequila (optional)
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 tablepoon olive oil
- pinch of Maldon salt
- 8 6" gluten-free corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- Orange-avocado salsa (see below)
- Chipotle mayo (see below)
- 3 small clementine oranges (or 1 small naval orange), peeled
- 1 avocado
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- juice of 1 lime (save 2 teaspoons of it to use in chipotle mayo)
- kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon minced chipotle pepper in adobo
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Place mahi mahi in a sealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, tequila (if using), cumin and chili powder and mix together. Pour over mahi mahi, seal the bag and flip it around a bit to get the marinade evenly distributed. Marinate for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- After 20 minutes of marinating, retrieve the mahi mahi from the plastic bag and place on foil-lined baking sheet. (Discard the marinade.) Drizzle mahi mahi with olive oil and a sprinkle of Maldon salt.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until it's cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes.
- Using 2 forks, tear the fish into small chunks. Place in a serving dish and, if you like, drizzle juices from the foil over top the mahi mahi.
- When the fish is marinating and baking, prepare the garnishes: Place red cabbage and cilantro in small serving dishes, and make the orange-avocado salsa and chipotle mayo.
- Orange-Avocado Salsa: Coarsely chop the orange and avocado and place in a small bowl. Add the minced garlic, lime juice (remember to save 2 teaspoons for the Chipotle Mayo!) and mix. Season to taste with salt and fresh cracked pepper, and place in a small serving dish.
- Chipotle Mayo: In a small bowl, place mayonnaise, minced chipotle pepper in adobo and lime juice. Add a pinch of salt to taste, and place in a small serving dish.
- Just before serving time, warm the corn tortillas individually in a frying pan over medium-low heat, turning them over occasionally until heated through. Place on a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Arrange serving dishes and let everyone's fish taco creations begin!
Mmm…they look great!
Thanks, Jeff! The words ‘taste explosion’ came to mind when we ate them — very tasty little devils.
Kris, These look absolutely delicious! We have fish tacos at our house once every two weeks or so. Can hardly wait to give these ones a try!
Thanks, Daphne! There’s a nice mix of flavors here, from tangy orange to creamy avocado and spicy mahi mahi. Definitely will make these again soon.