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Duration
30 minutes
Serves
4
Chef’s notes
When it comes to fish tacos, I'll take blackened fillets over fried almost every time. Maybe it's because I catch and eat a lot of Gulf Coast redfish, the same species Chef Paul Prudhomme made famous with his blackened preparation. But instead of Creole seasoning, I use cumin, oregano, and ancho chile—the Tex-Mex version of the holy trinity.
Pile the fish into warm tortillas with sweet corn salsa, a drizzle of zesty mojo sauce, and a little cotija cheese. It's got everything I want in a fish taco: smoky, spicy, tangy flavors with plenty of texture. It's the only way I'll eat fish tacos ever again.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. mild white-fleshed fish fillets
- 1½ tsp. ancho chile powder (or red chile powder)
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. dried Mexican oregano
- Oil with high smoke point, such as avocado or grapeseed
Sweet Corn Salsa
- Kernels from 4 ears fresh sweet corn
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 red or green jalapeño, finely diced
- 1 large avocado, diced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of ½ lime
- Coarse sea salt, to taste
For Serving
- Warm flour or corn tortillas
- Mojo sauce (optional but highly recommended)
- Crumbled cotija or feta cheese
Also works with
Any white-fleshed fish like redfish, snapper, catfish, walleye, rockfish, mahi-mahi, or cod
Preparation
- Remove the fish from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking and pat it dry. For large fillets, cut them in half or thirds so that they fit in the pan. Mix the chile, salt, cumin, and oregano together in a small bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the corn, shallot, jalapeño, avocado, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and gently toss to combine. Set aside while you cook the fish.
- Just before cooking, season the fish with the spice blend and turn the vent fan on high (or crack a window)! Heat a large skillet over high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Once hot, lay the fillets down, being sure to leave space in between and work in batches as needed.
- Cook undisturbed for 2 to 4 minutes or until it's about 75% cooked through. You can visibly see the opacity when looking at the side of the fish as it cooks. Carefully flip the fish; it should lift freely from the pan and have a dark, flavorful crust. Cook an additional minute or two more and transfer to a plate and keep warm. Wipe any burnt seasoning out of the pan and repeat to cook the remaining fish.
- To serve, break the fish apart into large chunks and fill the inside of the tortillas. Drizzle with mojo sauce and garnish with a spoonful of the corn salsa and cheese.
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Chef’s notes
When it comes to fish tacos, I'll take blackened fillets over fried almost every time. Maybe it's because I catch and eat a lot of Gulf Coast redfish, the same species Chef Paul Prudhomme made famous with his blackened preparation. But instead of Creole seasoning, I use cumin, oregano, and ancho chile—the Tex-Mex version of the holy trinity.
Pile the fish into warm tortillas with sweet corn salsa, a drizzle of zesty mojo sauce, and a little cotija cheese. It's got everything I want in a fish taco: smoky, spicy, tangy flavors with plenty of texture. It's the only way I'll eat fish tacos ever again.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. mild white-fleshed fish fillets
- 1½ tsp. ancho chile powder (or red chile powder)
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. dried Mexican oregano
- Oil with high smoke point, such as avocado or grapeseed
Sweet Corn Salsa
- Kernels from 4 ears fresh sweet corn
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 red or green jalapeño, finely diced
- 1 large avocado, diced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of ½ lime
- Coarse sea salt, to taste
For Serving
- Warm flour or corn tortillas
- Mojo sauce (optional but highly recommended)
- Crumbled cotija or feta cheese
Also works with
Any white-fleshed fish like redfish, snapper, catfish, walleye, rockfish, mahi-mahi, or cod
Preparation
- Remove the fish from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking and pat it dry. For large fillets, cut them in half or thirds so that they fit in the pan. Mix the chile, salt, cumin, and oregano together in a small bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the corn, shallot, jalapeño, avocado, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and gently toss to combine. Set aside while you cook the fish.
- Just before cooking, season the fish with the spice blend and turn the vent fan on high (or crack a window)! Heat a large skillet over high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Once hot, lay the fillets down, being sure to leave space in between and work in batches as needed.
- Cook undisturbed for 2 to 4 minutes or until it's about 75% cooked through. You can visibly see the opacity when looking at the side of the fish as it cooks. Carefully flip the fish; it should lift freely from the pan and have a dark, flavorful crust. Cook an additional minute or two more and transfer to a plate and keep warm. Wipe any burnt seasoning out of the pan and repeat to cook the remaining fish.
- To serve, break the fish apart into large chunks and fill the inside of the tortillas. Drizzle with mojo sauce and garnish with a spoonful of the corn salsa and cheese.
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