We were leafing through the book and he suggested Fish Tacos. At first, I dismissed it, but it got stuck in my brain. Fish Tacos did sound good, and I think I can get on board with any recipe that has cream in the title.
I had never made this recipe before, and it is partially due to the fact that it calls for chipotle’s and cilantro. I don’t enjoy really hot foods, so I avoid chipotle’s. And cilantro is a despised herb in our house.
So, I made these tacos with some adaptations and served it with a yummy vegetable orzo. I really enjoyed them and will definitely be making fish tacos more often, and this would be a perfect dinner for our meatless Friday’s.
(vegetable orzo recipe to follow)
Tilapia Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream
For the fish:
1 pound of flaky white fish fillets (tilapia, cod, halibut, mahi mahi)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
For the avocado cream:
1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup non fat Greek yogurt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
For the tacos:
8 tortillas of your preference, I used low fat white
1 cup shredded napa cabbage
To make the marinade for the fish, whisk to combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Pour over the fish and let sit for about 20 minutes, flipping the fish once after 10 minutes.
To make the avocado cream, scoop out the entire avocado into a bowl with the Greek yogurt and lemon juice. Mash up with a potato masher or the back of a fork until the avocado is smooth and combined with the yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste, then cover and put in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Chop your cabbage and set aside.
Remove the fish from the marinade and grill in a non stick frying pan. The fillets will take between 3-8 minutes to cook, depending on the thickness of your fish. Once all the fish is cooked, flake it with a fork, set aside and cover with foil.
Prepare your tortillas. I like to wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for them for about a minute. Though you can also heat them on your grill pan for 30 seconds on each side.
To assemble the tacos, spread 1-2 Tbsp of avocado cream on the tortilla, add some cabbage, and top with a mound of flaked fish. Here, you can add whatever else you prefer on a taco – green onion, corn, cilantro, hot sauce, etc… Roll and enjoy.
Marinating fish:
Avocado cream:
Perfectly grilled fish:
Vegetable Orzo
1/2 pound orzo
2 small zucchini, diced
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 roasted red peppers, diced
3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Cook your orzo al dente in a pot of well salted water. Strain and set aside, covered to keep warm if ready before your vegetables are done cooking.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the onions until soft and starting to turn golden, 5-7 minutes. Add your zucchini (to dice the zucchini, I quarter them lengthwise then dice). Cook for another 5 minutes until the zucchini are softened and starting to brown. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute or two.
Combine your hot vegetable mix with the cooked orzo, and add the diced roasted red pepper, and mix around to combine. Add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and toss. If you have a really nice finishing olive oil, now would be a great time to use it.
This can be served warm or at room temperature.