Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Fish Tacos Meet a Unique Sauce

Good evening everyone! We're back after a bit of an unplanned hiatus. Maggie's birthday was last week and we took a few vacation days to celebrate. We had planned on returning to the blog on Thursday and Friday for our new recipes, but later in the week I came down with a bit of a bug (cold, sinus type thing) and that basically shut down any aspirations of cooking for the week.

One week later, we're healthy once again and ready to return to cooking. With the 4th of July nearly upon us, grilling season is in full bloom and the "grilling super bowl" is on our doorstep. Tonight's dish is a great option for those who want to grill out a nice, fresh evening meal, but don't want to rely on the usual grilling staples of burgers and hot dogs. Let's get cooking!

The Recipe: Grilled Fish Tacos with Tequila Lime Crema
Original Recipe Found On: Cacique.com

What You'll Need:
(Serves 4)

2 Tilapia Fillets
Corn tortillas (warmed)

(For the rub)

4 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

(For the tequila lime crema)

1 Cup Crema Mexicana*
Juice from 1 Lime
1/4 Premium Tequila
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

*Crema Mexicana is essentially Mexican sour cream. You may not find something labeled exactly the same, but if you search out a sour cream that lists heavy cream as an ingredient, you've effectively found the same thing. Crema Mexican is a rich, creamy sour cream that doesn't have as much bite as traditional sour cream - even a mild sour cream would do well as a substitute for this recipe.

Begin by combining all of the rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat your fillets dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture before rubbing each fillet thoroughly in the spice mixture. Make sure each fillet is coated evenly and that all crevices are cracks have been covered by the rub. Place the fillets on a plate and store them in the regrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes prior to cooking. This gives the rub time to penetrate into the fillets, making sure this delicious flavor is present in every last bite of the final dish.

While your fillets are marinating, you can began preparing the tequila lime crema. In a small blender, combine all of the ingredients for the crema and pulse until everything is evenly blended and the mixture is smooth. Store the mixture in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. You can prepare this sauce up to 24 hours in advance if you'd prefer.

Once your fillets have marinated for at least 20 minutes, preheat your grill and oil the grates. Place the fillets directly over the heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until the fish is cooked through and the meat is opaque and flaky.

Remove the fillets from the grill and thinly slice them. Serve on the warmed tortillas with a helping of the crema and other taco toppings such as fresh salsa, cabbage and red onion. Enjoy!


The Results:

The appeal of this dish, for me, was the tequila lime crema. I was intrigued to try such a unique sauce alongside the traditional 'hot and spicy' fish taco. The crema didn't disappoint, the mild sour cream becomes a great base (and neutralizer) for the bite of the tequila, and combined the two create a fresh, citrus sauce that compliments the heat of the tilapia fillets very nicely. We topped our tacos with fresh salsa, finishing the fresh, bright flavor profile of this dish. If you're in the market for something a little more fulfilling than the standard burger fare, these delicious little tacos are worth a shot!

(No photo tonight, we had a series of technical difficulties that kept us from posting pics...sorry!)

That's all we have for you tonight, stop by tomorrow night to see what Maggie has cooking. Until then,

~Cheers



No comments:

Post a Comment