We are in a tropical mood down here in the Gulf South. Wild and bright flowers, hot peppers bursting from under brush. KP and I reupholstered a chair for the first time, a rocking chair for our good friends who are about to hatch a little zany baby bird into this hot summer weather. We felt this chair captured well the mood.
And then in the kitchen, what is more summery than a taco? What with our jalapeno, chili pepper and tomato surplus from the garden, I was delighted to get this cookbook for review. There are so many cookbooks in the world, with so many boilerplate introductions, that when I read the opening page of Taco! Taco! Taco!, I had a little frisson of the sort that I usually only get with reading the prose in The New Yorker or NYT Sunday Magazine. Brilliant writing from Bryan Roof. Many of us grew up on oil-soupy ground beef tacos “sure as your heartburn to spring a leak.” But there are so many other healthier alternatives, such as the two seafood recipes I feature below.
“This clever book serves as a lucid reminder that experimentation, not pre-packaged taco seasoning, is really the spice of life… Get into the kitchen and play. Because ultimately, it’s all about shoving tacos in your face.”
Followed by even more brilliant taco photography and recipes by Sara Haas. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour de taco force.
Grilled Coriander Shrimp Tacos
Adapted from Taco! Taco! Taco!
Shrimp
2 tsp ground coriander
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
2 TB fresh lime juice
12 oz large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salsa
15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked sweet corn
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 serano chile, chopped
1 TB lime juice
Kosher salt
Lime crema
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 TB fresh lime juice
¼ tsp ground coriander
First, prepare the shrimp by placing the coriander, garlic, oil and lime juice in a large sealable plastic bag. Add the shrimp, seal and shake. Marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.
The salsa can be made by just putting all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Same with the lime crema.
The shrimp can be grilled on a barbeque grill stuck on skewers. I cooked them on a castiron skillet with all the marinating juices (which was delicious). To make the tacos, pile all this goodness on a warmed tortilla. And serve. With whatever, lettuce, arugula, avocado…
Pico de gallo…
Here is another winner—this time on hard shell (but you could also do on tortilla, what you will.)
Blackened Fish Tacos with Caper Remoulade
Adapted from Taco! Taco! Taco!
Sauce
2 TB plain Greek yogurt
3 TB EVOO mayonnaise
2 TB minced sweet pickle (I omitted this due to pickle hate)
1 TB capers, rinsed and minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Fish blackening rub
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
Pinch kosher salt
Pinch ground black pepper
The sauce and the rub are pretty self-explanatory. Combine ingredients. Put the rub spices in a bowl. Pat 3-4 cod fillets dry and press the spice mixture evenly to cover each. Heat 1 TB olive oil in a cast iron skillet to medium heat and add fish to pan and cook each side three minutes until fish temp reaches 145 degrees.
Remove and squeeze with fresh lemon juice. Flake the fish into a hard shell and top with the sauce and arugula. YUM!
Hope you find a banana tree’s shade to enjoy your summer tacos. And a cooling fan.