Celebrating the Local Food Community of Connecticut's Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties

Delivered to Your Mailbox Each Season. Subscribe Today.

Delivered to Your Mailbox Each Season. Subscribe Today.

Fish Tacos

Corey Lynn Tucker Photography-EN-Summer-CC-22.jpg

Fish Tacos

Fish tacos are a great way to bring some flair to the dinner table, all while taking advantage of a wild-caught, Connecticut fish. Although striped bass live in both fresh and salt water, the population moves into the Sound during the summer. If you’re not keen to catch one yourself, grocery stores often sell professional anglers’ catches. Top it with not one, but two delicious and easy-to-make, homemade salsas for a real treat.

Ingredients
  

Fish

  • 2 lbs. striped bass filets
  • 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • 1 package of fresh corn tortillas
  • 1 package of micro greens (optional, cilantro or chard recommended)

Salsa

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Mango Salsa

  • 1-2 small mangoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 small red onion,diced
  • 15 sprigs of mint, julienned
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1-2 tablespoons jalapeno (or to taste), chopped

Guacamole

  • 4 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato-based salsa
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • Hot sauce, to taste (optional)
  • Salt

Instructions
 

Tomato-based salsa

  • Start by making tomato-based salsa. Preheat oven to 400˚. When ready, roast tomatoes 40-45 minutes or until skin is slightly charred. Let tomatoes cool and then place in a blender with other ingredients. Pulse until blended but still chunky.

Mango Salsa

  • For the mango salsa, place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and thoroughly toss together. (Both salsas can be made in advance and refrigerated for several days.)

Guacamole

  • To prepare guacamole, place avocados in a mixing bowl and use a masher or broad fork to mash them until they have an even consistency (more or less chunky, at your preference). Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix all together. Add salt, to taste.

Plating

  • Squeeze 1 wedge of lime onto each filet, then use a fork to flake apart the fish for the tacos. Plate the tortillas, add flaked fish, then top with both salsas, guacamole, microgreens, and remaining fresh lime wedges. Ready to serve!
    Corey Lynn Tucker Photography-EN-Summer-CC-15.jpg

Notes

To warm the tortillas, heat a clean pan over medium heat. Add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil to pan and cook tortilla for ~1 minute on each side, until it softens slightly. Set aside and repeat for remaining tortillas. (You will need to refresh the olive oil as it gets used up.)
To prepare the fish, begin by removing any skin that may be attached to filets. Drizzle filets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with Old Bay and chopped cilantro. When ready to cook, warm a non-stick pan on medium heat (do not add any oil to the pan) and sear filets for ~2 minutes on one side, until browned. Flip and repeat for other side. (Thick filets may not cook all the way through in this time. If so, move fish to an oven at 350˚ for 5 minutes to finish it.)

Related Stories & Recipes:

roasted tomato honey relish
Summer is the perfect time for light, healthful meals, and few of Connecticut’s locally produced foods are as renowned for
summer panzenella
When it comes to experiencing the full range of flavors that Connecticut’s local food offers, nothing beats simplicity. This delicious
GVH_4182.jpg
Seven simple ingredients and 15 minutes are all you need to prepare this delightfully delicious summer treat, perfect to enjoy

You May Also Like:

Sign up to stay in touch!