Tropical Salmon Tacos
When I’m in the mood for Tacos and faced with a pescatarian, or looking for a little bit of a lighter and fresher option, fish is the protein source I turn to. That is why I created these tropical salmon tacos: complete with some delicious spiced fish, the crunch of cabbage and romaine, and tropical hints of a delicious fruit focused salsa. Hell, you may even believe in you’re in the Caribbean midway through the meal (we can all dream…)
Before I dive into the recipe, I want to provide some history and context on tacos. According to this piece in Vallarta Eats, the word taco comes from the word “tlahco”, which means “half or in the middle”. However, according to this article, there are also beliefs that the name taco was first referred to dynamite used in mines, which was wrapped tightly in paper, much like the modern-day taco is wrapped in a tortilla. It is believed that the classic corn tortillas were originally used as a spoon-like structure to hold the food they were eating (dating back to 1,500 BC). In the early 1900s, the revolutionary era brought the emergence of the classic and original taco. Then, during an economic crisis in the 1950s, residents began selling the famous dish on the streets to workers. Evidence is believed that tacos first made their way over to the US by an influx of immigrants in the 19th century into the Los Angeles area. Today, you are able to find Americanized versions of tacos in just about every city. The first telling sign of an authentic taco would be the shell, which should be corn-based, and the second would be the fillings, which should be a few simple ingredients: meat, lettuce, and a small amount of cheese. For a lot more information on this topic, here is a book devoted to the investigation of Mexican food: Global Taco - A Global History of Mexican Food. While this recipe is not traditional, it is my take of the Americanized version of a taco.
Ingredients (serves 4):
Salmon filet (4)
Purple cabbage (1/2 head)
Romaine (1 head)
Avocado (1)
Mango (1)
Jalapeno (1)
Pineapple (1 cup – chopped)
Lime (2)
Heirloom tomato (1)
Refried beans (1 12oz can)
Tortillas (8 – assuming 2 per person)
Hot sauce
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Red pepper flakes
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Chop the mango and pineapple into ½ inch wide chunks and place in a bowl
Dice the avocado and tomato into ½ inch wide chunks and place in the bowl with the pineapple and mango
Thinly chop the jalapeno and place in the bowl with the avocado, tomato, pineapple, mango mixture
Season this mixture with 1 teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, juice of 1 lime, salt, and pepper, and combine well
Season the salmon with 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and the juice of 1 lime
Place the salmon on a baking sheet in a pre-heated oven to 425 degrees on the high broil function for ~10 minutes. This depends greatly on your oven’s broil function, so please watch closely
Chop the romaine into ½ inch wide ribbons and set aside
Pour the canned refried beans into a bowl and set aside
Slice cabbage into thin pieces and set aside
On an open stovetop flame, char the tortillas, using tongs, for ~20 seconds a side, continuously flipping
Serve all of the ingredients, along with hot sauce, in a build your own taco bar format and enjoy!
Dietary Information:
Dairy Free
Soy Free
Nut Free
Gluten Free (dependent on tortilla chosen)
