I have often been told fish tacos are tasty, but I've had enough issues with seafood made by strangers to steer clear of them. However, when I found some McCormick Baja Fish Street Taco seasoning packets on sale (perhaps discontinued?), I decided to try my hand at making this dish at home. I bought some frozen tilapia fillets and tossed a package of sprouts in my cart as well, because I decided to go for full California Hipster Cuisine as a family dinner!
OK, I've never been to California, but stereotypes exist for good reason sometimes, and recent encounters with entitled snobs and busybody Karens recently imported from the Golden State leave me feeling a bit bitter. Snark is my coping mechanism.
Ingredients:
- tortillas
- diced bell pepper
- diced tomatoes
- diced onion
- sprouts
- tilapia fillets or other white fish (approx. 1 lb. or 450 grams), either fresh or thawed from frozen
- olive oil, approx. 2 Tbsp.
- seasoning packet
Directions:
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Season fish on both sides and fry until cooked through and flaking apart, about 3-5 minutes per side. Follow standard taco assembly procedures and devour.
At any rate, while I could mix my own seasonings, it's a lot easier to experiment with new food through commercialized corporate conveniences. Today I started thawing the fillets and made sure I had all my other taco fillings on hand for The Great Experiment. I started seasoning and searing while the Mother Thing prepped the veggies.
I seasoned one side of each fillet, a bit stingily in hindsight. I then put the seasoned side down in my hot skillet with its splash of oil and sprinkled more on the other side. The fish fillets were quite thin, and cooked quickly. It only took 3 or 4 minutes per side to achieve a nice flaky state. I even remembered to snap a picture while frying them!
Once the fish was properly cooked, I had to run a taste test with fish and the aforementioned veggies. Tilapia tends to be flavorless on its own, so it served well as a carrier for the seasonings. Speaking of which, those were pretty mild. If you're using the store-bought stuff, don't be afraid to season liberally!
I make no claims to authenticity, but I do claim it was tasty. This was intentionally kept on the mild side with no hot sauce, but it was good. Pico de gallo would be great, especially with a hint of habanero. I think I prefer sprouts over lettuce in tacos and wraps though, now that I have tried that. As for a DIY spice mix, I may add some citrus zest to a standard taco blend and see how that turns out.
Now, let me know what I did wrong, or how else I can improve this next time I make it, because this will be happening again from time to time in the future!
