Featured Recipe
Fish Fajitas Remix
By Kate
"
Fish strips lightly coated with a zesty spice flour. Fresh salsa with avocado and cucumber, tossed with lime and parsley. Warm tortillas, sharp cheddar, and a tangy yogurt topping for creamy bite. A quick cook, high heat sear locking moisture, smoky aromas releasing. Assembly at table, communal style. Perfect for tossing flavors and customizing each bite. Dairy-free option ready. Simple, no fuss, no eggs, no nuts, balanced, bold.
"
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
45 min
Serves:
4 servings
Mexican-inspired
quick meals
seafood recipes
healthy dinners
Introduction
Fish fajitas, quick sear, no mystery, just good technique. Fresh salsa with a twist, cucumber to cut acidity, avocado creaminess. Lime to brighten. Skipping cumin — smoked paprika steps up the game here, deeper with a hint of earthy fire. Flour coating seals in fish juice. Pat dry or crust falls apart. High heat = fast crust lock, no dryness inside. Tortillas warmed to soft, flexible not leathery. Cheese and tangy yogurt finish, melting slightly from warm fish. Assemble at table to keep textures perfect, hands on, casual, interactive. No nuts, no dairy unless you choose. Think practical, think easy, think real flavors.
Ingredients
Salsa
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 small English cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, diced
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh chopped cilantro
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) avocado oil
- A few dashes of hot sauce (Tabasco or chipotle)
- 100 ml (7 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 500 g (1.1 lbs) cod fillets, sliced into thin strips
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
- 8 corn tortillas
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 200 ml (3/4 cup) shredded sharp white cheddar
Fish Sauté
Garnish
About the ingredients
Tomatoes ripe and firm—too soft, salsa turns into mush. English cucumber preferred for less bitterness and manageable seeds. Cilantro swapped for parsley to avoid overwhelming green notes. Avocado ripeness crucial—too hard, poor texture; too mushy, excessive oiliness. Smoked paprika replaces cumin for smokier, less traditional profile. Grapeseed oil resists smoke better than olive for searing fish without bitterness. Flour coating technique prevents fish from sticking, protects delicate flakes. Greek yogurt sub for sour cream cuts fat and ups protein. Corn tortillas preferred for authentic texture; flour tortillas acceptable but prone to tearing if overheated. Cheese of choice matters—sharp cheddar offers tang and melt without greasiness.
Method
Salsa
- 1. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, avocado, cilantro, lime zest, and juice in a bowl; drizzle oil and add hot sauce. Stir gently to avoid mashing avocado.
- 2. Cover and chill salsa minimum 30 minutes — flavors meld but texture stays fresh. Drain salsa slightly before serving to keep tortillas un-soggy.
- 3. Mix flour, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper on a plate. The paprika adds smoky depth replacing cumin.
- 4. Pat fish dry to get a proper flour crust; toss strips in flour mix, shake off excess. Too much flour gives a paste, too little won’t protect the fish during sear.
- 5. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high flame until shimmering. Add fish strips in batches — don’t crowd pan or you’ll steam instead of sear.
- 6. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden crust forms and fish easily flakes when tested with a fork. You want a slight resistance then tease apart — rubbery means underripe heat.
- 7. Warm tortillas wrapped in foil in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5-7 minutes or zap in microwave until pliable but not tough.
- 8. Lay tortillas on table. Spoon hot fish strips, spoon salsa atop, sprinkle cheese, add dollops of yogurt. Fold, eat. Customize—swap cheddar for pepper jack or crumble queso fresco if preferred.
- 9. Leftover salsa makes a great salad topping or breakfast eggs dressing.
- 10. Keep extra lime wedges nearby. A squeeze lifts and revives every bite.
Fish Sauté
Assembly
Technique Tips
Salsa making is about gentle mixing; mash avocado ruins texture. Let it rest chilled to marry vibrant, fresh but stable flavors. Draining salsa matters: watery topping ruins tortilla integrity quickly. Fish prep hinges on dryness—wet fish steams, no crust forms. Flour mix evenly coats fish to insulate. Proper pan heat judged by shimmering oil, no smoke. Searing fish needs space. Crowding means steaming, no crust, chewy texture. Flip gently; fish delicate, use flexible spatula. Look for golden crust then test flaking with fork tip. Tortilla warming key to flexibility, dry heat preferred. Assembly is social, keeps elements from sogginess. Lime juice just before eating adds brightness post-cooking. Store leftovers separately to preserve textures. Problems? Fish stuck? Pat dry more next time; pan not hot enough? Test oil heat before adding fish.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use ripe tomatoes. Not too mushy. Too soft ruins salsa. Firm tomatoes hold better. Cucumber adds crunch; peel for less bitterness. Fresh herbs elevate flavors.
- 💡 For the fish, dry fillets thoroughly. No moisture for a crust. Flour coating adds texture. Too little and it falls apart. Oil should shimmer before adding fish.
- 💡 Searing fish needs space in the pan. Don't overcrowd. Results in steaming, chewy outcome. Golden exterior signifies it's ready to flip. Look for that crust.
- 💡 Tortillas should be warmed gently. No leathery ends, just pliable. Foil in oven or quick zap in the microwave. Flexible finish is essential.
- 💡 Leftover salsa? Use it on salads or toppings. Versatile for breakfast—eggs, toast, anything. Draining excess liquid from salsa keeps tortillas dry.
