W2/Meal 2: Baja tacos

One time,while enjoying a snack from the Endless Summer truck, my husband said to me: "You never really appreciate a radish until it's the only thing on your taco."

So zen, so true.

The radish is a rather unsung vegetable. I can't even call it an unsung hero. When is a radish heroic? When are you ever like, "Holy crap this is the best radish ever! This radish SAVED MY LIFE!"...?

But there are instances when its satisfying crunch and subtle bite can be an efficient combination for one single condiment. I can't think of a better one besides the baja taco. (Well, I can't really think of any other instances. But I'm new at this.)

Time to fire up my amazing, life-changing (one might even say 'heroic') electric grill and give those radishes a stage to sing on.


Baja Fish Tacos

The recipe was adapted from this one, with some slight modifications.

Ingredients:
2 lb mahi-mahi
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp lime juice
5 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 minced garlic clove
Salt, to taste
8 flour tortillas, 8 inches in diameter

Directions:
1] Cut the mahi-mahi into 16 equal slices.
2] Combine the oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and salt. Coat the mahi-mahi with the marinade.
3] Grill the fish on the first side over direct heat until the flesh is firm and well-marked, about 2 minutes. Turn the fish and grill until cooked through, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more.
4] Grill the tortillas until they have light grill marks and are heated through, about 15 seconds on the first side. Turn the tortillas and grill them until they just start to bubble, another 15 seconds.
5] Center 2 pieces of grilled fish on each tortilla, and top with your choice of condiments. Add a dollop of Mexican Crema, fold in half, and serve immediately.

***

I halved the recipe and used fresh halibut in lieu of mahi-mahi. Any thick steak of white fish would work, like swordfish, cod, or sea bass. I only used a splash of olive oil for the marinade and I tossed the fish slices and the marinade together in one bowl.

For the toppings, I used radish (of course!), sliced avocado, red onion, and plain greek yogurt. Naturally, I served the tacos alongside brown rice and pinto beans.

(As an aside, I highly recommend using plain yogurt instead of low-fat sour cream. It has the same tang, a thicker consistency, and the added health benefits of our good buddies, probiotics.)

Verdict: Sweet Lord, I could eat this every day. A perfect summer meal. All the pleasure of a good Mexican fiesta, without the boated belly that inevitably follows eating a burrito the size of your head. Seeing as how this meal was inspired by the radish: Radish, you're a goddamn hero.