Fish Taco Salad

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Summary: Fish tacos, well crafted, have got to be one of the best dishes ever. Mmm, mucho bueno!! And late spring through summer is the perfect time to enjoy them. There are times however, when tortillas and all the fixings sound a bit heavy and require more energy and input than I'm willing to expend. Solution: Salad! This tossed salad is 1) a great way to clean out your crisper drawer, and 2) so darn good, easy and it serves a crowd (or you've got yummy leftovers). Enjoy! This is vaguely based on the Baja Fish Taco recipe from Cook's Illustrated.

Yield: serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds Red Snapper or another similar white fish (preferably one that's not endangered or caught using environmentally harmful methods)
  • salt and ground cumin for sprinkling
  • 1 Alder plank to grill on, if available (soak in water for 1-2 hours before using)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2/3 cups finely chopped cucumber
  • 1 pound shredded cabbage (I used mostly Savoy but also some purple for color)
  • 1/4 + 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced into rings (about 2/3 c)
  • 1 ear corn, kernels cut off, cob discarded
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions:

Set your grill to high. Wash and pat dry the snapper filets (about 1 pound each), place them on your pre-soaked Alder wood plank and sprinkle generously with salt and ground cumin. Place on the grill and cook until fish flakes and is just opaque. When cool enough to handle, remove all skin and any bones and pull apart into nice-sized chunks.

While the fish is cooking, make the dressing by whisking together the mayo, yogurt, salt, 1/4 t ground cumin and fresh lime juice. Set aside.

In a small bowl, put the chopped cucumber and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside for 5-10 minutes and then strain using a fine mesh sieve.

In the meantime, in a large mixing bowl, toss together the cabbage, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, chives, mint, scallions, corn, cider vinegar and canola oil. When the cucumbers are well-drained, toss them in too. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well combined. Add the flaked fish and toss gently until evenly distributed throughout the salad.

Serve with extra lime slices!