By Library invited Naomi for author talk, returned to familiar stacks as guest not employee, shrimp and grits for the evening. 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.
The author talk ended and I drove home still buzzing — the stacks, the familiar faces, the strange and beautiful feeling of being a guest in a place I once belonged to. I wanted dinner that matched the evening: something bright and festive, something that felt like a little celebration of the life that keeps stacking up. Fish tacos with guacamole were exactly right — quick enough for a weeknight, vibrant enough for the occasion, and grounding in the way that fresh food always is after a day spent mostly in your own head.
Fish Tacos with Guacamole
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs white fish fillets (cod, tilapia, or mahi-mahi), cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas, warmed
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Fresh cilantro, for serving
- For the Guacamole:
- 3 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 Roma tomato, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
Instructions
- Make the guacamole. Scoop avocado flesh into a bowl and mash with a fork to your preferred consistency. Stir in lime juice, salt, red onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and set aside.
- Season the fish. Pat fish strips dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the spice mixture evenly over the fish.
- Cook the fish. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add fish strips in a single layer and cook 3—4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. The fish should flake easily with a fork. Remove from heat and break into large chunks.
- Warm the tortillas. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30—45 seconds until pliable.
- Assemble the tacos. Lay tortillas flat and layer with shredded cabbage, fish chunks, a generous spoonful of guacamole, and a drizzle of sour cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
- Serve immediately. Arrange tacos on a platter with extra guacamole, lime wedges, and cilantro on the side. Serve right away while the fish is warm and the tortillas are soft.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 8g | Sodium: 520mg