This recipe seemingly has a lot of components (just look at how long the title of this post is – and I cut out some words!), but it’s far simpler than you’d imagine. Salmon isn’t the variety of fish you typically think of when it comes to tacos and since it doesn’t get crispy like something that’s been blackened or fried, you need to add a bit of extra texture. But when you do that, it all comes together so nicely. Plus, isn’t it nice to do something a bit unexpected?
For the salmon, you’re going to marinate it in a mix of olive oil, the juice of a grapefruit, a dash of cayenne, and a bit of salt. Roast it at 385 for about 25 minutes (maybe longer, depending on the thickness of your salmon filet). While the salmon cooks, prep your slaw. Don’t stress about measurements and taste as you go. Toss cabbage/slaw mix with a splash of apple cider vinegar, chili powder, the juice of a lime, a handful of cilantro, some salt, and a smidge of mayo. You really don’t need a lot of mayo here – it’s supposed to be more like a vinegar-based slaw. The reason the slaw shouldn’t be creamy is because you’re now going to make a crema topping by mixing together sour cream, chopped cilantro, salt, and jalapeño. This taco doesn’t really need cheese (I know, right?!) but avocado goes really well here. And tortillas, duh.
Honestly, I thought these would just go over “ok” in our house since it’s not the more traditional taco my beau craves on Tuesday nights; however, every bit was gone by the end of the meal. It’s also surprisingly light. The salmon itself is sunny and the slaw is far from a gloopy mess you might expect. Normally I turn things into a taco bowl when I want to lighten it up, but this actually eats lighter as a taco.
Peaches to Apples 