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Easy Baked Fish Tacos Recipe

February 19, 2018 by Nelson Cardoso Leave a Comment

We may earn affiliate link commission or products/fees from our partners through this post.

Fish Tacos Recipe

Let’s taco’bout it 🙂

That joke was ‘cheesy but grate’… okay, I’ll stop now! That’s our son, Michael, rubbing off on me. He’s the king of cheesy puns at home.

Seriously now…we’re thrilled to showcase these fish tacos on our incredibly beautiful new cutting board (chef’s quality end grain butcher block), sponsored by our new friends at Larch Wood Enterprises. Look at those grain patterns! This butcher block is like a piece of art in our kitchen. Art that’s amazing to work on, that is.

About the cutting board…

This board is a lot more than just a “pretty face”. For centuries, larch has been prized for its durability and rot resistance. Larch is used for boat-building, flooring, lobster traps, countertops, tabletops and more. The cutting board featured in our picture is made from this wood’s beautiful and unique end-grain. I’m certain professional chefs love this board, but honestly, every home cook should use a quality last-you-for-a-lifetime board like this at home, too.

East Coast awesomeness!

As if all this wasn’t more than enough of a reason for us to love our new cutting board, the good folks at Larch Wood Enterprises are located in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (yup – we’re proud Canadians too). We have wonderful memories of visiting this part of Canada on two separate road trips. Just today, our 9 year old asked when we could do another trip to Canada’s East Coast. Had I known about Larch Wood Enterprises on our trip there last year, we would have definitely stopped for a visit (and I would have drooled a little bit, I’m sure).

Tacos and Food Trucks

Maybe it’s because of all the food shows I’ve watched over the years, but I somehow always relate tacos to food trucks. Sure, it’s a popular place to get them, but it’s definitely easy to make them at home! With tacos, let your culinary creativity run wild. There really aren’t many rules. Start with a corn or wheat flour tortilla. Add meat, fish, pork or just leave the protein off. Top it off with preferred veggies, herbs, sauce and a squirt of citrus. Sure, it’s a fun street food… but it really is a perfect meal to make at home, too.

Inspiration while I waited

On a recent visit to the grocery store, while in the checkout line, a magazine caught my attention. The current edition was completely dedicated to taco recipes. Hello my friend! I flipped through it briefly, while I waited. That’s why the magazines are there right? To entertain you so you forget you’re waiting in a line. Whatever…it worked for me! I made a mental note to feature our own taco recipe on our blog, soon.

The day couldn’t come soon enough. I thought about fish tacos for the rest of the week until I finally had time to make them this weekend–not that they take long to make–it was just ‘one of those’ busy weeks.

The recipe turned out fantastic! Everyone at home loved it. Even our little picky eater enjoyed this ‘something new’. It was his own custom version, of course, but that’s perfectly fine. I was also extremely pleased with the flavourful mayo-like sauce I whipped up. This could be (and likely will become) a recipe post of its own. I’ll be making this sauce again for other dishes too…guaranteed!

Sure, a lot of people celebrate Taco Tuesdays… but I say, let this delicious food meet other days of the week. Go on…be your own taco boss! Enjoy these tacos today (I don’t even care what day it is…). Tacoday and every day, eat well, friends.

 

Fish Tacos Recipe
Print
Easy baked fish tacos recipe
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

The sauce is easy prepare, the fish is easy cook and the toppings are easy to cut up... why not try these delicious fish tacos at home? Your guests will be so impressed!

Course: Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8 tacos
Ingredients
  • 1 lbs red snapper fillets (4 or 5 fillets)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 small soft tortillas
Sauce
  • 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 2 + 5 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp old bay seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Toppings
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded into thin strips (about 1/8 of a small cabbage)
  • 1/2 cup red onion, peeled and diced (about 1/4 of a small onion)
  • 1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced
  • Sriracha sauce to taste
  • 1/2 cup cilantro (long stems removed)
  • 8 lime wedges
Instructions
  1. Prepare the sauce and toppings first.

  2. In a medium bowl, pour in 2 tsp of lime juice and the egg yolks.

  3. Using a hand mixer (you can also use a stand mixer or blender) on medium, beat the yolks and lime juice until the mix starts to thicken and become bright yellow. about 30 seconds to 1 minutes.

  4. Add the old bay seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic and mustard. Continue to mix for 30 seconds.

  5. Pour in the oil very slowly and in a very thin stream, about 1 tsp at-a-time. This will emulsify the mixture (thicken it). Each time you add a little oil, keep mixing.

  6. Once all the oil is used, start adding in the remaining lime juice 1 tsp at-a-time and mixing until you reach the preferred consistency. Ours was creamy and not runny. You can add another 1 or 2 tsp of water if you want the sauce thinner.

  7. Place the sauce in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

  8. Preheat the oven to 450 ÂşF

  9. Cut up/prepare the toppings and set them aside.

  10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  11. Place the fillets on the parchment paper.

  12. Sprinkle the salt, black pepper and paprika evenly over the fillets.

  13. Cut thin slivers of butter and place a couple over each of the fillets.

  14. Place the baking sheet in the oven about 9 minutes. The fish should flake easily.

  15. Warm the tortillas on low heat on a cast iron griddle or in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

  16. Time to assemble the tacos! This is of course flexible, our instructions are just a suggested approach.

  17. Place a tortilla on a plate. Add a bit of lettuce, red cabbage, a few pieces of fish, red onion, avocado, sauce, Sriracha and top with cilantro. At this point you can squirt some lime juice over top, or place a wedge or two of lime for each person to squeeze their own.

  18. Ideally, serve the tacos as soon as their assembled and enjoy them hot!

Recipe Notes

You can substitute the snapper with another firm, white, mild-tasting fish.

Nelson Cardoso
Nelson Cardoso
http://www.photosandfood.ca

Filed Under: Fish, Main Course Tagged With: baked fish taco recipes, baked fish tacos, fish recipes, fish taco, fish taco recipe, fish taco recipes, fish taco sauce, fish tacos, Mexican food, snapper recipes, snapper tacos, taco, Tacos

BBQ Steak for Fajitas

May 15, 2017 by Nelson Cardoso Leave a Comment

We may earn affiliate link commission or products/fees from our partners through this post.

BBQ Steak for FajitasAlways a favourite.

Fajita night is popular in our house. For Nelson it’s a quick meal he can whip up after work on a busy weeknight. If you ask our little guy he’ll tell you it’s his faaaaavourite meal. And we all enjoy building our own. Not being the home cook in our house, building my own fajita kind of makes me feel like I’m making a meal. Is that sad?

Fajitas…they’re just fun… they can get a little messy… but they’re always fun.

Fajita Fridays!

When I was a kid, I remember Friday night being pizza delivery night. It was always a treat that my siblings and I looked forward to having at the end of the school week. I never thought about it then, but now I imagine it was a bigger treat for my mom. Pizza delivery night meant she had a night off from cooking for six people.

For a while in our house, with our own kids, Friday nights were Fajita Fridays. I guess we’re not as consistent as my parents were because we didn’t make the whole Fajita Friday thing stick like my parents did with Friday night pizza. No, for us, it’s fajita-whatever night–we don’t have a set day for it anymore. And really… doesn’t that make us a wild and spontaneous bunch?! We’re so crazy!

Change is Good.

Our usual is chicken fajitas but Nelson changed it up this time. That’s right… he steaked-it-up-a-notch. I realize it’s not a big change, but the bbq’d steak, with the marinade Nelson made, was different enough that it turned our usual fajitas into a whole other meal. Nelson also made caramelized onions and peppers which added a nice element and sweetness. It was delicious. Change is good.

Happy fajita whatever to you! No need to wait for Friday night. Grill up some goodness, load on your favourite combination of toppings, and roll it all up in a tortilla for a quick and delicious meal. It can be so easy to eat well, friends!

BBQ Steak for Fajitas
Print
​ BBQ Steak for Fajitas
Prep Time
7 mins
Cook Time
13 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

​A great meal for a get-together. Delicious steak, a variety of fresh sides and sauces, and great conversation around the dinner table!

Course: Appetizer, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican, North American
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Nelson Cardoso
Ingredients
  • 0.8 kg or 1 3/4 lbs cab boneless top flatiron steak (optional meat substitutes: skirt, flank, hanger)
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, sugar, chili powder, paprika, pepper and garlic (all but the meat).

  2. ​Place the meat in a sealable freezer bag.

  3. ​Pour in the whisked marinate.

  4. ​Seal the bag, rub the marinate around and into the meat and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or over night.

  5. Remove the steak from the bag and discard the marinade.

  6. Let the flatiron steak sit it on the counter at room temperature between 20 and 30 minutes before cooking.

  7. ​Heat the grill/BBQ to between 450 °F and 500 °F.

  8. Open the lid, place the flatiron steak on the grill and close the lid. Cook for about 7 minutes.

  9. Open the lid, turn the flatiron steak over and continue to cook about another 5 to 6 minutes.

  10. Use a probe to measure the internal temperature. Different thicknesses will impact cooking time. Medium rare is 135 °F, Medium is 140 °F and medium-well is 150 °F.

  11. Once the meat reaches your preferred doneness, Remove the meat from the BBQ and let sit on a serving dish, covered with a tented piece of aluminum foil for 15 to 40 minutes.

  12. Cut and serve with your favourite sides.

Recipe Notes

We decided to use cab boneless top flatiron steak because we'd never tried before and were curious. It turned out fantastic!. You can sub this cut with skirt, flank, hanger steak.

The cab boneless top flatiron steak was much thicker on one side. This worked well for us because one end was medium-rare while the other side was medium-well in the same amount of time, which is exactly the doneness variety my family enjoys. Alternately, you can cut the thicker part and cook that longer than the thinner piece.

The prep time we listed doesn't include the marinating time.

The sides we included for these fajitas:

  • sour cream
  • shredded old cheddar
  • salsa
  • guacamole
  • hot sauce
  • caramelized onions and peppers

Feel free to add your own favourite sides!

Nelson Cardoso
Nelson Cardoso
http://www.photosandfood.ca

Filed Under: Beef, Main Course, Meats Tagged With: bbq steak, bbq steak fajitas, fajitas, flank steak, flatiron steak, grilled steak, hanger steak, skirt steak, steak fajitas, Tacos

Pico de Gallo (salsa fresca) Recipe

August 2, 2015 by Nelson Cardoso 4 Comments

We may earn affiliate link commission or products/fees from our partners through this post.

Pico de Gallo (salsa fresca)I told you it was Mexican night at our house. Here’s the other main ingredient we added to our fajitas today.

Pico de gallo (which literally means rooster’s beak) is also called salsa fresca–which means, fresh salad. This is an uncooked salad, typically made with coarsely chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, and fresh serrano peppers (though Nelson chose to use jalapeños because they’re not as hot), and freshly squeezed lime juice, and salt.

So, you might be wondering what the difference is between pico de gallo and a salsa. Maybe you’re not, but we wondered, so humour us and keep reading… Here’s what we discovered… Salsa is the Mexican word for sauce or dip. Salsa is a tomato-based (often spicy) hot sauce commonly used as a dip. Pico de gallo is actually a type of salsa though most salsas are made with cooked tomatoes and chili which are blended or crushed, while pico de gallo is made with fresh tomatoes, and other fresh uncooked ingredients that are coarsely chopped. Most salsa has quite a bit of liquid which makes it great as a dip; whereas pico de gallo contains little liquid, which makes it a perfect filling for tacos and fajitas. There you have it…probably more than you wanted to know, but we thought it was interesting (does that make us geeks?).

Whatever you call it, this recipe uses fresh ingredients that look bright and taste delicious. Perfectly summery. This certainly was a perfect filling in our fajitas. Full disclosure…our little guy wouldn’t try it–but then, we know his mom (yes me, Liz) was always just as picky…and kind of still is…so we didn’t force him to add it to his fajitas–and that’s the fun of fajitas…you can choose your fillings!

Pico de Gallo (salsa fresca) Recipe

Pico de Gallo (salsa fresca) Recipe
 
Print
Prep time
15 mins
Total time
15 mins
 
This pico de gallo recipe uses fresh ingredients that look bright and taste delicious. It's a perfect summer (or any season) topping!
Author: Nelson Cardoso
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • 4 plum tomatoes seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped
  • ¼ small red onion diced
  • 3 tbs cilantro chopped (3 or 4 sprigs)
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced
  • 3 tbs freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, stir all the ingredients together.
  2. Yup... that's it! Enjoy!
3.3.3077

 

Nelson Cardoso
Nelson Cardoso
http://www.photosandfood.ca

Filed Under: Appetizers, Dips, Healthy, Salads Tagged With: fajitas, fresh salad, lime juice, Mexican dip, pico de gallo, pico de gallo recipe, salsa, salsa fresca, salsa recipe, side dish, Tacos, topping

Nelson and Liz Cardoso

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