Grilled fish tacos are a staple in Southern California. Rather than the usual salsa that accompanies meat-filled tacos, those filled with fish get topped with finely chopped sweet onion and fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime.
YIELD: Serves 3-4
INGREDIENTS
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 medium sweet onion finely chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds red snapper fillets
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Spray cooking oil
- 4 limes quartered, for serving
- Store-bought or homemade hot sauce for serving
PREPARATION
- Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil, in 3 packages of 4 tortillas each, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the chopped onion, cilantro, and lime juice.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
- Prepare enough coals for a hot charcoal fire, or preheat your gas grill on high for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- While the grill is heating up, season the tops of the snapper fillets with the chili powder, paprika, oregano, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
- Place the tortilla packages in the oven and set it at 250°F (120°C).
- When the coals are ready or the gas grill is hot, liberally spray the skin side of each snapper fillet with cooking oil.
- Place on the grate, skin side down, and grill for 4 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and a crust has formed.
- Spray the top of each fillet with more cooking oil and gently turn them over.
- Grill for 4 to 5 minutes more, until the center is just cooked through.
- Transfer the snapper fillets to a cutting board, and cut them into quarters.
- Put on a serving table with the warm tortillas, onion-cilantro mixture, quartered limes, and hot sauce, and let people assemble their own tacos.
Topped with a “salsa” of finely chopped sweet onion, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime, which allows the fish to really shine.