Fish Tacos with Poblano Avocado Sauce

A lot of the time my meals are inspired by the herbs I have on hand. I love cooking with fresh herbs and try to get the most use out of them as possible. I had some leftover cilantro which led to making a new sauce, poblano avocado sauce, a mix between a roasted pepper sauce and guacamole. The result was creamy and a little bit spicy, perfect for fish tacos!

Fish Tacos with Poblano Avocado Sauce
Sauce
1 poblano pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 large avocado
Tacos
1 pound tilapia
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
Toppings
Tortillas
Shredded cabbage
1 roma tomato, diced
1 avocado, sliced
1 red bell pepper, halved, seeded and cut into strips
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

First, roast poblano pepper in the broiler for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Place in a ziplock bag for about 15 minutes. Remove stem and seeds and place in a food processor and pulse. Add cilantro and garlic and pulse again. Add cream and seasonings and pulse. Finally, add avocado and pulse until smooth. Place sauce in a bowl.

Heat up a nonstick skillet on medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Season tilapia with salt and pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper flake. Cook on skillet about 4 minutes and flip, cooking about 4 minutes on other side or until done.

Assemble tacos by adding tilapia, toppings and desired amount of poblano avocado sauce. I served this with herbed basmati rice. Enjoy!

Pesto Tilapia

One of my favorite things to do with my food processor is to make pesto. I just recently got this latest kitchen toy last Christmas, for the sole purpose of making the pestos I'd seen in cookbooks and magazines for years.

Pesto Tilapia
pesto

3 tablespoons pinenuts

4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 bunches basil leaves (about a cup and half)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
fish
1 pound tilapia fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

To prepare pesto, cook pinenuts in a skillet on medium heat until lightly toasted, about 3 to 5 minutes; set aside. In the same pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Add garlic and roast a couple minutes. Add pinenuts and garlic to food processor and pulse. Next add parmesan cheese and salt and pepper and pulse. Add basil and pulse again. With the processor on, stream in olive oil until reaching desired consistency (I use about 1/4 cup).

Heat a large skillet on medium high (I used a castiron) and drizze with olive oil. Season tilapia heavily with black pepper, and add a bit of salt as well. Sprinke cumin over fillets as well. Place seasoned side down in the skillet and season the other side as well. Cook about 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with a teaspoon of pesto spread across the top.


I served this with grilled corn and seared broccoli for a healthy, balanced meal.

Grilled Chili Lime Corn
4 ears corn, shucked
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 limes
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a grill pan on medium high heat. Place corn on pan and begin grilling, turning occasionally. In the meantime, add all other ingredients to a micowave save bowl and heat until butter has melted. When corn is about done, begin brushing chili lime butter on all sides and turning to get a lovely toasty brown color on it. Serve with extra chili lime butter on the table.


Seared Broccoli
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 heads broccoli
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a medium skillet on medium heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Add minced garlic and saute for one minute. Add broccoli and sear, turning occasionally, around 8 minutes. Season with red pepper and salt and pepper. Drizzle additional olive oil as needed to prevent drying out.




The final product plate including pesto!