paul & amanda's feisty fish tacos.

up until about a year ago, i hadn't tried (or wanted to try) a fish taco. ew, fish tacos? that just sounds dirty and wrong. and now i crave them about once a week. we gave them a whirl at home, and they turned out so good, that they have made their way into our dinner rotation. they are the perfect mix of spicy & smokey, with a creamy coolness that evens everything out. the ingredients are  healthy and fresh, and they are a great alternative when you're bored of the same old same old. if you're a fan of fish and tacos, give these a chance. you'll shit.

how we do: paul & amanda's feisty fish tacos

{serves one couple with a very healthy appetite.}

prep time: 15 minutes

cook time: 6-8 minutes

eating time: 1/2 an episode of wheel of fortune

you will need:

3 fillets of tilapia

chipotle chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper

1 tablespoon coconut oil

red cabbage

2 jalapenos

cilantro

2 heaping tablespoons of greek yogurt

2 avocados

1 clove garlic

1/2 lemon

1 small tomato

small whole wheat tortillas

*my brother has me addicted to phil collins right now. if my itunes is on, it's probably playing this.

first, pour yourself a glass of wine, and try not to make eye contact with the world's cutest pooch sitting outside the back door. she clearly wants you to stop what you're doing, and throw that damn ball to her until your arm falls off.

take your fresh tilapia fillets, and slice each one in half down the middle. this will give you 6 pieces, which will make you 6 really nice sized tacos. i am not a fan of really fishy fish, which is why we use the tilapia. you know what they say, "if it smells like chicken, keep on lickin'. if it smells like trout, get the hell out!" we have also tried this with monk fish, but it doesn't flake the same way, and they weren't nearly as good. 

to give the fish that smokey taste with some heat behind it, we use a combo of chipotle chili powder and cumin (about 3 tablespoons of each) and some salt & pepper to taste. throw your fillets into a ziploc freezer bag, coat with some olive oil and add your seasonings. massage the spices into the fish until covered, and pop your fish in the fridge to keep cool while you prep the rest of your ingredients.

to take away some of the heat (but not all, the spice is my favourite thing about these babies) we make up a simple slaw. we usually use about 1/8th of a red cabbage, a good handful of cilantro, 2 jalapenos, 2 heaping tablespoons of greek yogurt and some salt & pepper. combine it all and let it sit while you get your fish in the pan.

 heat a nonstick pan on high and add a tablespoon of coconut oil. we used to use olive oil when cooking the fish for this recipe, but we tried the coconut oil, and it is delicious! it adds a nice flavour, and makes the fish perfectly crispy on the outside. once the oil is hot lay your fillets down and leave them be. the more you move them around, the better chance of them breaking apart. let them go for about 4 minutes on the first side, and then flip them with a spatula. let the other side go for around 3 minutes. paulie does the ol' fork trick to see if they're done. pick the thickest filet, and insert a fork into it, put the fork to your lip and it should be about as hot as a "cuppa tea" (as he would say).
if it is, they are done and you are golden. 

while your fish is cooking, you can whip up a quick guacamole. we use 2 medium avocados, 1 clove of garlic, juice from 1/2 a lemon and some salt & pepper to taste. mash everything together with a fork and voila! this guac recipe is also perfect with nachos, on a burger, in any kind of wrap or sandwich.

layer your ingredients on a small whole wheat tortilla, starting with a blob of guac, your fish, the slaw, some diced tomatoes and a squirt of lemon. they have a good amount of heat behind them, and are dynamite with a frosty beer. or 2. or 10. ole!