An Escape from the Cold

Fish Tacos

The recent cold snap in DC was a shock to the system. Just when signs of spring were abounding -- buds coming up, cherry blossoms peeking through, a couple of mid-60s days where everything felt bright. And then bam! a wet, dreary cold that dampened the spirits. We made these fish tacos last night in an attempt to channel warmer weather & provide a mental escape from the cold. 

Tilapia Tacos with 

Avocado & Cilantro-Lime Cabbage Salad

Tilapia is a firm, white, flaky fish with a mild taste that suits a range of cooking flavors. Incidentally, tilapia is considered one of the most sustainable farm-raised fish to eat, given that it consumes a mostly plant-based diet, reducing the need to harvest wild fish to feed them. This is guilt-free indulgence!

ingredients:
2 fillets of tilapia
2 pats of butter
4 flour tortillas
1/4 head of cabbage or 1 packed cup pre-shredded cabbage
1 generous handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
3-4 dashes of hot sauce of your choosing + more to taste
1 avocado, sliced
salt & pepper, to taste

1. sprinkle a bit of salt & pepper on the tilapia fillets.

2. in a frying pan, melt 2 pats of butter & add the tilapia. cook until both sides brown a bit & the inside becomes opaque white, tender & flaky.

3. meanwhile, warm the tortillas. i usually warm mine in a cast iron skillet.

note: ordinarily, i would tout the benefits of a whole grain variety of tortilla, but in this case, the flour tortilla really pulls this together nicely, providing the perfect texture -- don't skimp here, even if you would normally opt for a whole grain or even a corn tortilla.

4. if using a whole head of cabbage rather than pre-shredded variety, slice the cabbage as thinly as possible. then toss together with the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, cumin & hot sauce of your choosing. 

note: feel free to make this salad ahead of time, as it gets better the longer the flavors have had a chance to sit together. 

5. line the warmed tortillas with the tilapia fillets, avocado slices & the cilantro-lime salad. 

6. serve with your favorite warm weather cocktail & enjoy!