By Summer arrives, tomatoes from Robert's garden, writing daily at desk and blog, life of a retired writer-cook. The week was the life. The life was the cooking. The cooking was the love. And the love was the week, and the week was one of the weeks that stack together to become the years, and the years become the life, and the life is the woman at the stove who cooks and writes and loves and does not stop.
I made she-crab soup on Sunday — the anchor, the constant, the practice. The soup was perfect. The perfection was the practice. And the practice continues, one Sunday at a time, one bowl at a time, one life at a time, the woman stirring, the roux thickening, the kitchen warm, the family fed, the love alive.
She-crab soup is my Sunday anchor — always has been, always will be — but when Robert came in from the garden mid-week with his first real haul of summer tomatoes and the light was long and golden the way it only is in July, I wanted something that honored the sea without asking the kitchen to work as hard as I had at the desk. These fish tacos with blueberry-almond salsa felt exactly right: bright and coastal and a little unexpected, the kind of recipe that rewards you for paying attention to what’s ripe and what’s ready.
Fish Tacos with Blueberry-Almond Salsa
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 27 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- For the blueberry-almond salsa:
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
- 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the fish:
- 1 1/2 lbs white fish fillets (cod, tilapia, or mahi-mahi), cut into strips
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- For serving:
- 8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
- 1 cup shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Make the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped blueberries, toasted almonds, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, honey, and salt. Stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside to let the flavors meld while you prepare the fish.
- Season the fish. Pat the fish strips dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the spice blend evenly over all sides of the fish strips and press lightly to adhere.
- Cook the fish. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fish strips in a single layer without crowding (work in batches if needed). Cook 3—4 minutes per side until the fish is golden, lightly crisped at the edges, and flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to a plate.
- Warm the tortillas. Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30—45 seconds, or warm individually in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly toasted.
- Assemble the tacos. Spread a small spoonful of sour cream or crema onto each tortilla. Top with a layer of shredded cabbage, then 2—3 pieces of seasoned fish, and a generous spoonful of blueberry-almond salsa. Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 590mg