Healthy Twists

Fish Tacos with Black-Bean Salsa

Ingredients:

• I generous handful cilantro
• 1 large jalapeño (or two if you want it spicy; we barely tasted it)
• 1/3 of a large red onion
• 3-4 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 tbsp lime juice, divided
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt (or just regular salt, to taste)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well
• 1 pound mild fish fillets (I used rock cod; mahi mahi or tilapia would work well too)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6-8 corn tortillas
• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
• shredded cheese (optional)
• 1/4 cup Greek or regular plain yogurt (or sour cream)

Directions:

1. Make the salsa: if you have a food processor, add the jalapeño, cilantro, and onion and blend in “pulses” until everything is chopped as finely as you can get it without making juice. Or dice it all by hand. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
2. Add the tomato, garlic salt, and about 4 tbsp lime juice to the bowl and stir. (The tomatoes can be chopped as small or large as you like your salsa. I wanted it on the chunky side this time.)
3. With a fork or spoon, mash the black beans a little bit (not much) and add to the salsa.
4. Let the salsa sit for at least an hour, then taste and add more lime juice or garlic salt if needed.
5. Cook the fish: sprinkle about 1 tbsp lime juice, salt and pepper over the fish and let marinate for about ten minutes (not much longer; we’re not making ceviche).
6. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet (you could also grill the fish). Cook over medium heat until it flakes easily with a fork, about 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish.
7. Transfer the fish to a plate and, with a fork, gently break the fish into pieces for easy taco assembly.
8. For the tacos: wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (or warm them in a skillet or in the oven, but my microwave method works really well, trust me.
9. Set out the fish, tortillas, cheese, yogurt/sour cream, salsa, and cabbage and let everyone make their own tacos. Serves 4 (I had leftovers).

Close up of the salsa goodness:

The whole spread:

And an assembled (unfolded) fish taco (minus cheese):