Grilled Fish Tacos with Fresno Slaw
I love these tacos not only for their flavor, crunch, and freshness, but also for the place that they transport me in my mind and heart…sitting oceanside at a corner taco joint in Southern California with no agenda in sight. Nothing triggers a sense of vacation mode faster! You’ve been warned.
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1.5 tsp. granulated garlic (coarse garlic powder)
- 1.5 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
- 1-1.5 lbs. mahi mahi, deboned with skin removed (see TIP A for fish alternatives)
- 6-10 corn tortillas
- 1-2 ripe avocados, sliced or prepared as a simple guacamole (see TIP B below)
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1.5 tbsp light agave syrup or honey
- 1 small garlic clove, grated (use a rasp or zester)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 small red cabbage, shredded (or 8 oz. pre-shredded)
- 2 Persian cucumbers or 1/2 English cucumber thinly sliced (consider using a mandoline)
- 3 green onions ends trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 Fresno chile, seeds removed and thinly sliced (consider using a mandoline)
- 1/3 c. fresh cilantro leaves
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Combine first 8 Slaw ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until fully blended. Add the shredded cabbage and thinly sliced cucumber, green onions, and Fresno chile. If you have a mandolin, I recommend using it for the cabbage, cucumber, and chile—paper-thin slices fold well into the tacos. Finally, add the cilantro leaves, stir, and store in the fridge for up to 6 hours or until you are ready to serve.
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Combine all 5 Rub ingredients in a small bowl. Check the fish to ensure all skin and bones are removed and then generously coat both sides with the rub. Use all of the rub.
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Heat outdoor grill to 450-500° and thoroughly coat the grates with vegetable oil. Put the fish on the grill and immediately discard any excess rub. Grill the fish on each side until desired done-ness (approximately 4-5 minutes per side).
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Nothing can take away from the best taco fillers more than a cold, brittle tortilla. Always warm your tortillas! A couple methods work well, but for this preparation, I recommend putting them directly on the grill for approximately 1 minute per side or until they develop a light char (but still remain soft). Then stack and wrap them in a sheet of aluminum foil and keep them warm in a pre-heated 250° oven or on an elevated rack of your grill. You can also char and soften them one-by-one over a medium-low flame on your gas stove—just put them directly on the burner for 30-60 seconds per side. Or, if you really want to keep it simple, just skip the charring part, stack and wrap them in aluminum foil, and place them in a pre-heated 300° oven for 10-15 minutes.
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These tacos don't need much, but a few slices of avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime are nice finishing touches. You can also prepare the avocado as a simple, creamy-style guacamole using a few additional ingredients—see TIP B below for these instructions. These tacos are great served make-your-own-style or pre-folded.
TIP A: If you didn't grow-up on the docks, buying fish can be a bit intimidating. I've felt that intimidation...until one day I just decided to get over it. And really, it's quite simple if you have an idea for how you want to prepare and serve your fish before your go shopping, and you go to a reputable fishmonger that receives fresh fish daily (for me, this is Whole Foods Market®). Then, just follow this script:
"I want to make _____ [e.g. grilled fish tacos], what type of fish do you recommend?...Why do you recommend that one? [Listen for texture and flavor reasons, not sale and price reasons]...Ok, great, can you remove the skin and bones for me?".
Always ask them to remove the skin and bones! This will save you a lot of time and struggle. When it comes to grilled tacos, I've had this conversation a number of times, and I've tried many options. The most common fish recommended to me and my preferred option is mahi mahi—firm, yet breaks apart nicely for tacos and typically falls in the middle-of-the-road for price. I've also tried tilapia when I was looking to save a few dollars and it is good too—just a bit more flakey and "fish-forward" in taste. If you want to splurge, you cannot go wrong with halibut or Chilean sea bass. Primo!
TIP B: If you really want to impress by preparing a homemade guacamole for your tacos instead of avocado slices, I've got you covered! Simply mash 2 avocados with the juice of 1/2 a lime, a splash of o.j. (whatever you or your kids drink for breakfast as long as it is 100% juice and not from concentrate), 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic (coarse garlic powder), and 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper. This will become your go-to,easy guac recipe and you'll never do store-bought again. It's creamy, tangy, great with chips or topped with toasted pepitas, and perfect to dollop on these fish tacos!