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Salmon tacos with cabbage slaw

Salmon Tacos with Guacamole, Salsa, and Cabbage-Radish Slaw

SERVES 4 TO 6

Everybody’s happy with fish tacos. Something about this meal feels celebratory, even if it’s a random Monday night. At least once a year I make fish tacos with my family on Martha’s Vineyard, using fresh local striped bass. It’s perfect summertime eating —clean, fresh Mexican flavors, rather than the heavy fried stuff. At home, I usually use salmon, but you can substitute any firm white fish.

Ingredients

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ¼ pounds skinless wild salmon fillet, cut into 12 pieces
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Tomato Salsa (recipe follows)
  • Guacamole (recipe follows)
  • Cabbage-Radish Slaw (recipe follows)

  • Sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and lime wedges, for serving

  • Preheat the oven to 200 ̊F. Line the bottom of a baking pan with a damp paper towel and add a stack of tortillas. Cover with another damp paper towel and seal the pan with foil. Warm in the oven while the fish cooks.

  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the salmon pieces on both sides with salt and pepper. When you see wisps of smoke coming off the pan, add the salmon and sear for 11⁄2 minutes on both sides.
  • Fill the warmed tortillas with salmon and top with salsa, guacamole, and slaw. Garnish with sour cream, jalapeños, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Tomato Salsa

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

I like a mild salsa that highlights the freshness of tomatoes, but you can fire it up with the addition of finely chopped jalapeño and serrano peppers. This salsa depends entirely on having good-quality tomatoes—don’t even attempt this with mealy or blah, out-of-season ones.

Ingredients

  • 3 tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about 1⁄2 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

Guacamole

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

Avocados may be the closest you can get to a perfect food. They have good monounsaturated fat, fiber, and antioxidants, but what drives my uncontrollable obsession is their creamy, luscious texture. I’m always looking for new ways to eat avocados, but guacamole never gets old. If your avocados are slightly under-ripe, chop them and add to a bowl with the lime juice and a sprinkle of salt to soften up for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 avocados, roughly chopped
  • 1⁄2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
  • 1⁄2 red onion, diced (about 1⁄2 cup)
  • 1 small fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded, ribbed, and minced (about 11⁄2 teaspoons)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the avocados, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, and salt and black pepper to taste. Toss the ingredients together and roughly mash the avocado with a fork until you reach the level of smoothness you like.

Cabbage-Radish Slaw

MAKES ABOUT 31⁄2 CUPS

I keep the slaw bright and tangy, so it’s a crunchy, light counterpoint to the richness of the salmon and guacamole, and the olive oil in the salsa.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups shredded green cabbage (about 1 medium head)
  • 3 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fine sea salt

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, radishes, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Let the slaw marinate for 15 minutes.