Tacos off the grill

By Chef Kady Guyton
April 26, 2010

Some of the best meals any of us will ever eat is made of very few ingredients. In some cases, the experience is heightened by the location and people we're with, but usually it's the food.

One of my favorite meals was a fish taco eaten on the board walk in San Diego during the week between Christmas and New Year's. The time of year is important because I had just gotten off a plane from Kansas City, where a blizzard was moving in and the temperature on the ground was around 28 degrees. The fact that a few hours later I was standing in the sunshine eating something so good from the ocean seemed like a minor miracle.

That taco was fried and frying is one of least favorite forms of cooking. It adds calories that no one needs and creates a lot of clean-up in the kitchen. Fortunately, the warm weather means that the whole production can be moved outside to the grill.

Frying is also an easy way to make everything taste more or less the same. Grilling means that the fish needs to be good quality. When selecting fish for the grill, look for very firm fillets: mahimahi, tilapia, cod, halibut and salmon are all excellent grill candidates. Also, oil the grill after heating and just before putting anything on it. There's no point in spending money on good food if it's going to be left in shreds on the grill.

The recipe below is not fried, nor does it have the usual mayonnaise based sauce that a lot of fish tacos come with. Instead the flavor is from blackening spice and a flavorful pineapple salsa. Blackening seasoning can be purchased in the spice section of most grocery stores. There is a recipe below, if you feel like making a custom blend.

The salsa has a mere four ingredients, but it's a great example of the total being greater than the sum of its parts. Sweet, creamy and acidic all come together to create something great. Make extra and eat it with chips.

Once the fish is grilled, wrap everything in a warm corn tortilla and top it with the salsa and shredded cabbage. Because I hate shredding cabbage, I usually take advantage of the bagged versions in the produce section. Someone got paid to shred all that and there's no shame in taking advantage of it.

Enjoy in the sun with lots of chips and guacamole.

Grilled Fish Tacos
Makes 4 to 6 tacos

2 large firm fish fillets, ie. tilapia or mahimahi
1 tbsp blackening spice
8 corn tortillas
2 cups fresh coleslaw mix
Canola oil

Pineapple Salsa
2 cups fresh pineapple, finely chopped
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime, plus extra for wedges
Fresh cilantro, to taste
Salt and pepper

Blackening Spice Mix 1 teaspoon each: cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, black pepper and salt.

Directions:
1. Mix the pineapple, avocado, onion and lime juice in a non-reactive bowl. Add cilantro and salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Heat a grill or stovetop grill pan until hot.

3. Brush grill and fillets with the oil. Sprinkle blackening spice on both sides of the fillets. Put on the grill and cook for four minutes. Flip over carefully and cook another four minutes.

4. Warm the tortillas on the grill for a minute or two.

5. Break up the fish into chunks and divide among the tortillas. Top with salsa and shredded coleslaw. Serve with chunks of lime.