I love fall. It's my favorite time of year, no joke. But, when fall arrives, I start thinking about winter, and when winter arrives I start wishing for an escape hatch to somewhere warm with big green leaves and bright colorful flowers. My parents have generously solved my cold weather blues by treating us to a big family gathering in Sanibel Island, Florida at Beachview Cottages . Our kids have been going there since they were born and think that my parents live there. In reality, we usually spend about a week, most of it outside, which makes my happiness meter go way up.
Last year we decided to do a little exploring and took a drive over to Pine Island. On the way there, we drove through the town of Matlacha and found The Olde Fish House Marina sea food market and restaurant. We really enjoyed talking with the owners and totally dug their back porch dining area overlooking a marina. That day we bought some big gulf shrimp to put on the BBQ, but the reason for this post is so that I can share my fish taco recipe!
If I had to narrow it down to my top 5 foods, fish tacos are in the running for first place. Before I knew any better, I ate them with flour tortillas, but then one day, I had a fish taco made with a corn tortilla and the heavens opened up to the glory that is the combination of corn, fish, lime, cabbage and hot sauce.
For the past few years I have been making fish tacos one night on the annual Sanibel vacation. My Dad grills the fish that we caught that day on the little grill overlooking the beach. Then we sit down to dinner at a long table, watch the kids play and run in the sand while we eat tacos and drink beer and marvel at how fortunate we are to be there at that moment. Well at least I do. It just seems so right to be sitting next to the place where the food I am eating came from, and with people I love.
So without any more waxing, here she be:

Super delicious Fish Tacos
4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pounds mahi mahi (skinned, boned and cleaned). You can use a variety of fish, but mahi-mahi is the classic fish to use. In Sanibel we use the sea trout we catch in Tarpon Bay.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying (I like to use a wok for deep frying, or you can use a deep fat fryer if you have one)
- 1/2 head savoy cabbage, finely shredded (I use pre-packaged cole slaw mix)
- 1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
- 3 limes, cut into wedges for garnish
- bottle of green or red Mexican hot sauce ( I like the brand “El Yucateco”)
- corn tortillas
Pink Mayonnaise:
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup catsup
Guacamole with Tomatillo salsa
- 2 avocados
- 6 tomatillos, husks removed and tomatillos washed
- 1 fresh serrano or jalapeno chile pepper
- 3 garlic cloves still in their husks
- ½ t. salt
- 1 T. chopped cilantro
- juice of one lime
Tomato Salsa
- I just buy a good one from the store and add fresh tiny cubed fruit like mango or peach to give it a tropical and sweet taste which is good with the fish.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350. Roast the whole tomatillos, whole chile and garlic cloves still in their husks for 20 minutes. Turn the Tomatillos ½ way through so they get brown on all sides. Take pan out and let cool for a few minutes. Squish the garlic cloves from their husks into a blender, add the roasted tomatillos, chile and any juices that have accumulated into the pan. Add about ½ C. water to the blender, or just enough to make the tomatillo salsa smooth. Mash avocado with a fork, add ½ C. of the tomatillo salsa, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper and mix gently so that the guacamole is still chunky.
Prepare the pink mayonnaise by mixing the three ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.
Prepare the fish.
If deep frying: Cut the pieces of fish into 1-ounce strips. Set up a breading station of flour, lightly beaten eggs with water, and seasoned panko bread crumbs. Season all with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces of fish in flour, egg then bread crumbs. Once all the fish is breaded deep-fry in small batches in (375 degrees F) oil. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Keep warm in a 175-200 degree oven until ready to serve.
If grilling: season the filets with a paste made with minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let marinate for 15 min. Grill fish on a hot grill 2 min per side.
To serve, set up the tacos "family-style". Assemble the fish in a pile on a plate; put the pink mayonnaise, tomato salsa, and guacamole in separate bowls. Set a pile of shredded cabbage, cilantro leaves and lime wedges next to the fish. Set out a couple of bottles of Mexican hot sauce. I like the green habanero one, but the red habanero is good too. Heat the tortillas wrapped in a dishtowel in the microwave for about 1 minute (might need one minute more, depending on the microwave). Or grill the tortillas, flipping them with tongs until they are hot and dark brown in spots.
To assemble: Lay tortilla down, put a stripe of pink sauce down the middle, add cabbage, 2-3 pieces of fish, guacamole, tomato salsa, a squeeze of lime on top, add cilantro and hot sauce, fold in half and eat.
Serve with rice, beans, and beer! 
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