Bright, fresh, and seasonal: spiced and seared fish filets marry a charred citrus salsa + smoky poblano crema in these easy, refreshing tacos. Serve with pickled onions, herbs, and avocado to elevate your next Taco Tuesday!
Happy Sunday and Happy February friends!! We’ve made it through January- and now, we get a new day, week, and month all at once.. how amazing is that?!
We’re kicking off February’s recipe lineup with a fabulous taco full of the star produce this month: CITRUS!!!
It snowed yesterday here in Charleston, and while it’s beautiful + nice for a change of scenery… I’m longing for some warmer weather. This winter has felt longgggg.
The thing I love about these tacos is they feel very tropical and summery, but are filled to the brim with winter’s abundant produce. You get the best of both worlds here.. and they’re absolutely delicious!
What’s in these fish tacos?
Spiced + pan seared fish: I used a mix of cod and halibut (what I had on hand). I preferred the halibut to the cod for these, but either one is fabulous! You can also use shrimp, I think that would be wonderful.
Poblano and herb Crema: I charred up some peppers, onions, and garlic in a cast iron pan, then blended them with my fresh herbs, yogurt, toasted cumin seeds, and lime to create a smoky crema. You can also use sour cream if you prefer!
Citrus Salsa: this is the star of the show! Grapefruit, navel orange, clementine, and lime all get caramelized in a pan (optional step, but I love the depth). Dice up the citrus (or just mash it all up together/place it in a food processor for more of a salsa verde consistency), and add a few more simple ingredients for your delicious citrus salsa. Add avocado directly to the salsa for a citrus-avocado salsa, or just top your tacos with some freshly sliced avocado, if desired!
I love serving these tacos with pickled onions, fresh herbs, and avocado (plus some purple sprouts if you’re feeling fancy). You can also add some cotija cheese for another layer of flavor, or jalapeño slices for extra heat!
Full recipe for these beautiful tacos is below. I hope you love them! <3
Poblano herb crema:
1 poblano pepper, roughly chopped (seeds and ribs removed)
1 jalapeño, roughly chopped (seeds and ribs removed- or leave the seeds in for extra heat)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
¼ red onion, roughly chopped
1 bunch cilantro, tender stems and leaves
2 tbsp mint leaves (optional)
3/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
Juice of 1/2 lime, more to taste
2 cloves garlic, grated
Pinch of smoked paprika
½ tsp toasted cumin seeds (or just ½ tsp cumin is fine)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Char the peppers/onions: heat a cast iron pan over medium-high. Add peppers and onion. Cook until peppers and onion begin to soften/char. Once produce has a few charred spots, add to a small blender.
Add remaining ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth. Taste, and adjust salt/lime juice/pepper as needed. Feel free to add a pinch of sugar as well, to balance out the smokiness.
Set aside until ready to serve.
Citrus Salsa:
1 navel orange (or blood orange)
1 grapefruit
2 clementines
1/2 lime
2 small hass avocados (optional, or save for topping)
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste
honey, to taste (start with 1 tsp, add more as needed)
Char the citrus (optional step): slice all citrus into wedges. Add them to a hot cast iron pan over medium high heat, and cook on all sides until caramelized. This step is optional, but it adds a nice touch. See pictures below for reference.
Squeeze the juice of the lime wedges into a large bowl. Dice or mash the remaining citrus (grapefruit, orange, clementines) in the bowl, discard the rinds. Add garlic, herbs, onion, jalapeno, salt, honey, and stir to combine. Taste, adjust salt + honey as needed; feel free to add some fresh lime or lemon zest for brightness as well.
For the fish:
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch cayenne, optional
Olive or avocado oil, as needed
3-4 filets of halibut or other white fish (can also use shrimp!)
Combine chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, pinch of cayenne (if desired), and oregano in a small bowl. Stir with a small whisk to combine.
Pat your fish very dry. Heat a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat.
Drizzle each fish filet with a bit of oil and rub it in to coat. Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper.
Generously season all sides of fish in seasoning mixture, making sure each filet is coated.
Add a drizzle of oil to the pan. Once oil is hot, add each fish filet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until fish is opaque and cooked through.
For serving:
Warmed taco shells of choice, I used blue corn
Pickled onions (recipe posted!)
Poblano herb crema
Citrus salsa
Fresh herbs: cilantro + mint
Avocado and/or cotija cheese
Flaky salt, if you fancy
Break up fish using a spatula and add to taco shells. Drizzle with crema. Add citrus salsa along with other toppings of choice (pickled red onions are always a must from me), finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Et voila!!! Fabulous citrus fish tacos that’ll leave you feeling refreshed and satisfied. Pretty food that tastes good + makes you feel even better!!! ;)
I hope you love this recipe! Make sure to check out my other recipes for more seasonal cooking inspiration, and stay tuned for a full list of seasonal recipes to make in February. Enjoy friends <3
With love,
Abigail
Sooo delicious and beautiful! The citrus adds such an amazing flavor to the fish tacos! Chef’s kiss!