Amberjack is a plentiful fish in the Gulf – a beautiful, brutish fish that typically hangs around wrecks and reefs in deeper water (60 feet+). They’re really strong fighters, so they’ll give you a run for your money! The fish has a semi-dense flesh, so it holds up well in a variety of cooking methods (grilling, sautéing, baking, etc.). And if the fish is really fresh, the meat is tender and sweet.
During hubby’s recent offshore trip he brought back some beautiful Amberjack. If you’ve never seen the fish up close, here’s one — perfect size – not too big, not too small.
So, for this holiday weekend, we opted for fish tacos. We love California, Baja-style fish tacos (deep fried fish, shredded cabbage, creamy/spicy white sauce — sometimes referred to as the ‘holy fish-taco trinity’) but, in an effort to cut down on fried stuff, we usually make our tacos with sautéed or grilled fish, and we don’t skimp on the must-haves of cabbage and creamy sauce. You can put just about anything in a taco, depending on your taste, but I like to add some chopped tomato, red onion, a few jalapeños, and fresh squeezed lime. And I always toast or grill the tortillas for maximum flavor and texture.
Today, the fish was extremely fresh. Gosh, you could almost see through it! I lightly dusted the chunks with Redfish Magic, (which I always have on hand), prepped the veggies and sauce, sautéed the fish on the grill, grilled the tortillas, and we were ready to assemble. Biting into a fish taco is like getting a surprise in every bite – crunchy, creamy, spicy, cool, savory and a little sweet. Could you ask for any more?
- 1 lb. fresh Amberjack (or any dense, white fish), cut into medium chunks
- 1 Tb. Redfish Magic seasoning
- 1 Tb. butter
- 1 Tb. olive oil
- 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
- Slivered red onion (to taste)
- ¼ small head green cabbage, very finely shredded & mixed with a little lime juice
- 6 flour tortillas
- Limes, cut into wedges
- Queso Fresco cheese (or any mild/salty cheese), crumbled
- Avocado, chopped (optional)
- Cilantro (optional)
- Jalapeno, sliced (optional)
- ½ c. mayonnaise
- ½ c. sour cream
- ¼ c. whole milk
- 1 Tb. Sriracha sauce (more to taste)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ lime, juiced
- Prep all the toppings and place into small bowls.
- Prepare sauce - simply place all ingredients into a bowl, whisk, and place in refrigerator.
- Heat a cast iron pan on the grill (or use a nonstick saute pan on the stove). When hot, add some butter and olive oil, then toss in the fish, then turn down to medium heat. After about 1 minute, turn each piece, then allow about 2 more minutes to cook. Don't overcook, as the fish will dry out.
- Meanwhile, toss the tortillas directly on the grill, on medium heat, until they puff up. Turn once. When browned, remove from heat.
- Assemble the tacos however you like to layer them. I like to start with a few pieces of fish, then cabbage, tomato, onion, sauce, jalapeño, some lime juice and a sprinkle of Queso Fresco cheese.
