Weeknight Solution: Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Lime
My friend L is always joking that she makes tacos about three times a week. And to admit my own thick-headedness, it was a joke I didn’t quite get: tacos are so fiddly, with so many little pieces, and they always fall apart, and the tortillas never stay warm. I kind of had a lot of complaints when it came to homemade tacos.
But then a couple things happened. In my complete annoyance with this endlessly frustrating and fascinating question, “How do I make dinner at the end of the day when I am tired and hungry?” I pulled out my neglected copy of Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I thumbed through the summer section; I picked recipes. Meal plan for the week: done. I had a feeling L might be on to something; one of those recipes was these tacos.
Then––and this is really the clincher––I discovered La Tortilla Factory. Their corn tortillas are sort of a corn-flour tortilla hybrid––the rustic flavor of corn, the heft and flexibility of flour––so they don’t fall apart, not ever, not even when you overstuff (which, inevitably, you will).
So I cooked up this recipe one night when tilapia was on sale, and friends, this is a bona fide weeknight solution. This recipe is very, very simple, and has quickly become one of my favorite dinners of the summer. It’s wonderfully fresh and super fast and healthy, to boot, but it also has only three elements that need tending to: the fish, which is grilled so fast, the creamy-kicky cabbage slaw, and the tortillas. The cabbage is so good. It’s tossed with lime juice, Greek yogurt, and jalapeno, but I think next time I’ll try using a bit of adobo from a can of chipotles to give this a deep, smoky flavor.
And by next time, I really do mean the third time in a week. Which is to say, I totally understand now where my friend L is coming from.
Fish Tacos with Cabbage and Lime
adapted from Everyday Food: Fresh Food Fast
Serves 2
1/2 pound tilapia or flounder fillets
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 cup tightly packed shredded purple cabbage
2 limes (1 cut into quarters for serving, optional)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
4 corn or flour tortillas
Heat grill over medium high heat. Toss cabbage with 1 tablespoon yogurt, juice of half a lime, and jalapeno (depending on the heat of your chile pepper, this could be quite hot, so just be aware and use less if you don’t like things quite so fiery.)
Squeeze half a lime over fish and season with salt and pepper. Grill fish 2-3 minutes per side until it’s just turned opaque. Remove to a plate flake or cut into large chunks.
Zap tortillas in the microwave until warm. Remove, fill each tortilla with fish, cabbage slaw, and top with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve with lime quarters.
Kristina Strain: Slaw sounds great. A similar version (involving cabbage, jalapenos, lime, plus cumin and sliced scallions) makes regular appearances on our table. We like it in quesadillas– another perfect quick dinner.46 weeks ago
wendy: Tacos! We love egg tacos, fish, leftovers!!! Anything in a tortilla is a taco! Cold meal salads that I don’t want to use a fork for. Yum!
Our favorite are black bean with slaw made from cabbage, green onions, cilantro, lime juice and feta cheese! Sometimes there is just slaw and cheese, sometimes just slaw. so all can be happy!
We have found that toasting the corn tortillisa over a gas flame til they are as brown as you want them, then placed in a tortilla keeper will keep them intact and warm until you are ready to eat all together.46 weeks ago
Designing Diva: What a great idea – and I just happen to have homemade coleslaw to finish up (Asian Cole Slaw Light, from allrecipes.com, if anyone wants to try a fresh, summery, lighter – meaning no mayo – type of slaw – delish!- especially with the added ingredients of craisins and
shredded carrots and snipped fresh chives), so that’s dinner tonight! As much as I love to cook, in the summer it is all about EASY for me. I like to create different types of salads, wraps, sandwiches, and flatbread pizzas and we eat outside every night we can to enjoy the summer weather. Bliss….46 weeks ago
Laureen: I can not wait to try these, Sarah! The cabbage slaw sounds so perfect this time of year.
Wendy — where did you get your tortilla holder?!? I usually use aluminum foil but I think I could use an upgrade…46 weeks ago
Sara Rose: I second “anything in a tortilla is a taco” and add that just about anything rolled up in a tortilla is AWESOMENESS. I may just have to have fish tacos for the old birthday this week! Inspired! We’ve been sort of lazy the last two weeks and just shuffling through the fridge to find . . . whatever for anyone to eat for dinner. I do believe menu planning needs to come on back now.46 weeks ago
Eating outside sounds like California decadence! I swear, my apartment would be PERFECT if it just had a little balcony or yard to step out on to.46 weeks ago
Cadi: Those La Tortilla Factory corn/flour hybrid tortillas are the new standard at our place – do they have the green chile or chipotle flavor in your neck of the woods? (we live in the same county so we may have other flavors than are available in NY)
Wendy – you can get a tortilla keeper/holder at most restaurant supply stores, or sometimes your local mexican restaurant will sell you one too. I use a clean flour sack towel set in a cute basket, like my grandma does.
And Sarah, if they don’t have the flavored tortillas near you let me know, I’ll send some your way.
They are mind-alteringly good with fish tacos!46 weeks ago
I couldn’t help but peak on Etsy to see what kind of tortilla warmers they had, and look how adorable this one is (though maybe not so great at keeping them, uh, warm.)
Cadi, I think we do have the flavored ones, and thanks for the tip! I’ll have to look!
46 weeks ago
EB: Tacos are the food of the gods. I can’t imagine living where I can’t get a stack of still warm, handmade tortillas for about 3$!!46 weeks ago
wendy: Living in North Texas as I do, I purchased mine by the checkstand of the local grocery store, about 5-6 dollars for melamine. It really is the bomb to have warm torts at the end of your meal.46 weeks ago
Tina: Have you considered grilling your tortillas to warm them? So delicious!46 weeks ago