Anytime hot pink food can be found, you know I’m there!
Spicy Cajun fish tacos. Juicy blood oranges. Lots of cabbage slaw and tons of lime. It’s one of the freshest meals I want to eat in the winter, which is saying so much since right now all I can think about is hot soup.
Perhaps I’m just trying to transport myself to warmer weather with food?! I think so.
MY OTHER RECIPESWith this third week into the new year, I’m excited when I think about how well we’ve been doing with weeknight dinners. We don’t eat out at ton to begin with, but for 2018 I really wanted to make sure we were eating balanced delicious dinners during the week. I’m also trying to be a little better about weekends… which I’ve always considered to start on Thursday night.
Thursdays are the best day of the week! Because the anticipation of Friday and the weekend is so REAL.
The issue is that by Thursday, I’m like, “oh it’s almost the weekend, let’s get takeout!” and then it’s Friday night, and I don’t want to cook, and then it’s Saturday, and we’re gone all day… and so on. So I’m trying to make sure we have something balanced ALL week – even if it’s lunch on Saturday before we eat out at night, or the other way around. So it’s not just all… pizza.
This meal though! These fish tacos. Yessss.
It’s one that we can’t get enough of… even with a side of thin and crispy tortilla chips.
Fish taco sides are always tricky. They seem too fresh and light to have beans and rice on the side. More slaw? That’s an option. Lots of tortilla chips and guac? Not saying no to that, ever.
We absolutely love using napa cabbage for slaw when it comes to fish tacos. It’s hearty, but still more delicate than regular old green cabbage, so the crunch doesn’t completely overpower the flakey fish. It just gives the BEST texture to tacos.
All you have to do is toss it with some fresh cilantro, lime juice, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and those beautiful blood orange chunks. Whyyy are they so pretty?
For the fish, I used a wild caught cod and my favorite method of quickly broiling it in the oven. It takes minutes and produces the most buttery, flakey fish that is perfect for fish tacos. I do this with salmon all the time and it makes dinner come together super quickly.
P.S. autocorrect is telling me to change “most buttery” to “butteriest.” OMG. Is butteriest a word?! Please tell me that’s being added to the dictionary in 2018. For the next three months I am not going to shut up about butteriest. My apologies.
Tortillas! We always go back and forth between corn and flour. I like to use different tortillas for different things. Definitely prefer corn here. Sort of like the whole cabbage debacle – they are a bit more delicate and let the flavor of the fish and slaw shine. They aren’t as thick or chewy as flour tortillas, which I can find a little overpowering with fish tacos.
And! You guys always always (always) ask me how I char my tortillas. Ummm… I just stick them on the open flame of my gas range top. Yes, like almost burn the house down. Eddie is the tortilla char-er and it’s a supervised activity so we’re all good.
That’s my fish taco saga. These are SO flavorful and delish. Kind of like my cajun salmon with a twist! Annnd if you’re feeling it, you could always make them beer battered. I totally would.
Cajun Fish Tacos with Blood Orange Slaw
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds wile caught cod
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups shredded napa cabbage
- 1 blood orange, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, plus more for topping
- juice of 1 lime
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 8 to 12 corn tortillas
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 (or 2!) avocados, thinly sliced
- lime wedges for serving
- tortilla chips for serving
Directions:
Preheat the broiler in your oven to high and set the oven rack about 6 inches below it.
Place the cod on a baking sheet and brush it with the grapeseed oil. In a bowl, stir together the paprika, italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, pepper flakes and cayenne. Sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cod and press gently so it adheres.
Broil the cod for 6 to 8 minutes, or until just opaque and flakey with a fork!
While the fish is cooking, toss together the cabbage, blood orange, cilantro, salt and pepper with the lime juice.
To assemble the tacos, add a few forkfuls of fish to the tortilla, top with the slaw, a slice or 2 of avocado and some radish slices. Serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips!
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Feels a little sunnier now!
