Sun Basket Hacks: Elevated SoCal fish tacos
Welcome back to my recurring Sun Basket Hacks post! In case you missed the first one, I plan to outline and credit the original recipe from Sun Basket, highlighting the pantry staples and green market goodies I add, as well as any additional steps required to create my elevated versions of Sun Basket offerings. Since Sun Basket repeat these offerings periodically, you can order them yourself when they appear, or you can use the recipes to create them on your own. I will only feature recipes my family loved, so you can use this content as a guide to help you make your own picks, too. If you’re not already a Sun Basket member, please use this link to start a trial and get $40 off your first delivery!
Recipe credit: SoCal fish tacos with zesty lime yogurt and carrot-cabbage slaw
Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, 2 Servings, 600 Calories/Serving
20 – 35 Minutes
In the Basket:
2 ounces organic shredded green or other cabbage
2 ounces organic shredded carrots
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 organic lime
½ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
¼ cup organic Greek yogurt
Fish options:
2 wild sole fillets (about 5 ounces each)
2 wild Alaskan halibut fillets (about 6 ounces each) <- my pick!
2 sustainably raised Faroe Islands salmon fillets (about 5 ounces each)
¼ cup cornstarch
4 or 5 sprigs organic fresh cilantro
8 Mi Rancho 100% corn tortillas (my husband, who is a weirdo, dislikes corn tortillas, so I take out 4 of those and swap in two large flour tortillas because I want him to be happy)
From your pantry: olive or vegetable oil and salt/pepper
Added ingredients, mostly for the salsa but also for the yogurt, fish and slaw.
1 cup of organic cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/4-ish inch rounds
1 small shallot, diced
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp Spanish paprika
1 tbsp rice wine or red wine vinegar
1 tbsp hot sauce (I like Tabasco Chipotle for the salsa)
1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves
Adobo Goya*
1 tsp black sesame seeds
Pickled jalapenos to taste, I use 1 tbsp chopped
Sriracha to taste
Instructions
Wash produce before use, just in case!
1.
Make the carrot-cabbage slaw
In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, jalapenos, apple cider vinegar, and 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Let stand, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the rest of the meal. Before serving add the black sesame seeds and toss. I read somewhere that seeds contain everything needed for life, and amazing skin, so now I try to eat some kind of nut or seed at least once a day. *shrug emoji*
2.
Make the lime yogurt
Zest the lime and juice half, keeping the 1/2 a lime for the crispy fish later in the process
In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, and season it up to your taste with the Adobo Goya, Sriracha, salt and pepper.
3.
Make the salsa
Heat up a small pan over medium heat and set a timer for 1 minute increments so you don’t burn the pumpkin seeds. You will need to bring all your focus and determination to bear on this so don’t check your texts or otherwise goof off! Give the pan a good spray of PAM. Turn on your timer.
In the pan, add the pumpkin seeds, paprika, salt, and pepper and either shake or use a spatula to gently combine and keep the seeds moving. When the timer goes off evaluate - are the seeds toasted? If not, start the timer again and stir/watch like a hawk. If yes, set them aside.
In a small bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, the thyme, the vinegar, the Tabasco Chipotle (or whatever hot sauce you like), the Adobo Goya and salt and pepper to taste.
When you’re ready to serve, add the toasted paprika pumpkin seeds to the salsa and test the seasoning again. Sometimes it needs a bit more acid and I squeeze in some citrus, sometimes it needs some sweet and I drizzle it with honey or agave, sometimes it needs some hot/tangy and I do more hot sauce, etc.
4.
Make the fish
Pat the fish dry with a paper towel; cut the sole crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips, the halibut or salmon into ½-inch-wide strips. Season lightly with salt.
On a plate or shallow bowl, season the cornstarch with salt and pepper and as much of the remaining cayenne as you like, plus some more Adobo Goya; spread in an even layer.
Dredge the fish in the cornstarch, turning to coat; shake off any excess. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the fish and cook, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
While the fish cooks, prepare the cilantro and heat the tortillas. I do this in the oven sometimes when I am feeling lazy and overwhelmed but you have to either remember to pre-heat or do the timer routine with the broiler.
Peel the cilantro leaves from their stems (which are amazing in a sofrito or mirepoix) and coarsely chop.
4.
Serve
Set out the tortillas on the individual plates. I spread each one with the spicy lime yogurt, evenly distribute the hot crispy fish, top each taco with carrot-cabbage slaw and cilantro and squeeze over with lime juice from the remaining half.
Serve the salsa at the table and invite everyone to garnish their own. This is a multiple napkins dish and really delicious.
*Note: Adobo Goya is amazing but you can also use onion powder, which is an underrated seasoning.
