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–+ servings
Deconstructed Fish Taco

Deconstructed Fish Taco Recipe

Print Recipe
Course dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mexican
Dish Type taco
Diet and Health healthy-ish
Ingredient fish
Servings 4
Author Diane Scalia

Ingredients

For the fish:

  • 1 lb freshest quality fish available;4 pieces about 1/2” thick, i.e., fillets of snapper, tilapia, swordfish, Mexican sea bass, black cod, salmon (please choose wild-caught rather than farmed) 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • zest and juice of 1 lime set juice aside
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 Anaheim chili; stemmed seeded, cored, quartered
  • 1/2 in red onion cutrings or slices
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 in lime cut4 slices

For the fresh citrus salsa:

  • zest and segments of 3 limes segment limes over mixing bowl to catch juice
  • Segments (and juice as with limes) of 3 oranges/tangerines/tangelos/grapefruit/mix
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 small red onion diced
  • juice of 2 more limes
  • 1 jalapeno chili pepper diced (seed if desired)
  • 1 medium ripe tomato, seeded and diced
  • 3 in basil leaves torntiny bits by hand (optional)
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • agave sweetener or honey, to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • in for the cold vegetable sticks tossedlime & cayenne:
  • 3 in carrots peeled, cutsticks
  • 1 large cucumber peeled, seeds trimmed out OR use English or Persian cucumbers
  • 1 in small jicama peeled, sliced, cutsticks
  • 1 small bunch broccoli flowerets only, blanched and cooled
  • juice of 2 limes
  • cayenne pepper or other favorite chili powder
  • pinch of salt

For the roasted corn and black bean garnish:

  • corn cut from 3 fresh cobs
  • 1 small red onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded, cored, diced
  • 1 zucchini diced
  • 1 15-oz can organic black beans rinsed and drained
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oi
  • 3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves optional
  • juice of one lime
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of sugar
  • 4 corn tortillas fried lightly in 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

To prepare the fish:

  • Coat bottom of shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Rinse and pat-dry fresh fish fillets, and place single-layer in dish.
  • Rub with olive oil, and sprinkle with lime zest and cilantro, lay pieces of chili and onion alongside fillets.
  • Let rest for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Drizzle reserved fresh lime juice over fish, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and top each piece with a lime slice.
  • Bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, keep warm until serving.

For the salsa:

  • Combine first 9 ingredients in mixing bowl.
  • Add sweetener, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Let rest if possible, before serving or better, prepare several hours in advance.
  • Refrigerate any unused portion. Yields about 1 1/2 cups.

For the vegetable sticks:

  • Place all vegetable sticks in large bowl.
  • Toss with fresh lime juice and desired addition of pepper and pinch of salt.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning for preference of heat.

For the corn and black bean garnish:

  • Preheat oven to 424F.
  • Line large baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
  • Toss vegetables and beans with remanining ingredients, and with rubber spatula, turn entire contents onto prepared baking sheet.
  • Roast in 20 minute intervals, stirring occasionally, until corn is lightly browned and all vegetables are soft, about 40 minutes.
  • Let cool slightly before serving.

To serve:

  • Place roasted corn garnish in center of plate, and top with fish and its roasted pepper, onion, and pan juices.
  • Offer salsa in little ramekins on side of fish.
  • Add a handful of the cold vegetables to one side, and finish plate with a double-folded warm corn tortilla.
  • Enjoy meal with tortilla as a “scoop” for all components.