Is there a more quintessential California dish than the fish taco? Here, it’s marinated in orange juice and chipotle in adobo before being seared and topped with zingy aioli, freshly-made pico de gallo and lots of shredded green cabbage. The recipe, one of 58 in Dena Grunt’s “Table with a View: The History and Recipes of Nick’s Cove” (Cameron Books, $30),” will transport you to the tranquil waters of Tomales Bay, where Nick’s Cove, the iconic Marshall inn and restaurant, is located.
Chipotle Fish Tacos with Pico de Gallo and Cilantro-Lime Aioli
Serves 4
Chipotle marinated fish:
½ cup orange juice
½ bunch fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 pounds fresh rock cod fillets
Cilantro-lime aioli:
3 large egg yolks
½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 green onion, white and green parts roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil
Pico de gallo:
8 large Roma tomatoes
¼ red onion, minced
Leaves from ½ bunch cilantro, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Tacos:
8 small white corn tortillas (approximately 3 inches in diameter)
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ small head green cabbage, cored and finely shredded
2 limes, quartered
Directions:
For the marinade: In a blender, combine ½ cup water, the orange juice, cilantro, chipotle, shallot, garlic, salt, cumin and paprika and blend on high speed to a smooth puree.
Cut the fish into 1-inch-wide strips and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the top and gently stir to coat the fish completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1and up to 4 hours.
To make the aioli: In a blender — just rinse the canister — add 1/4 cup water, the yolks, cilantro, celery, green onion, garlic, lime juice and salt and blend on medium speed until smooth. With the machine still running, slowly drizzle in the oil, blending until the mixture is emulsified. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 5 days in advance.
To make the pico de gallo, halve the tomatoes lengthwise and, holding the halves over the sink, squeeze out the seeds. Finely chop the tomatoes and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and salt and stir to mix. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The pico de gallo can be made up to 1 day in advance.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the tortillas on a sheet pan in four stacks of 2 tortillas each.
In a large ovenproof skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Remove the fish from the marinade, allowing any excess marinade to drip back into the bowl. Add the fish to the skillet and sear on the first side until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook on the second side until golden, about 2 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup water to the pan, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the fish is opaque and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Put the sheet pan with the tortillas into the oven at the same time and cook until warmed through, about 4 minutes.
To assemble the tacos, arrange two tortillas on each individual plate. Top each tortilla with cabbage, add 2 or 3 pieces of fish on top, spoon some pico de gallo over the fish, then drizzle about 1 tablespoon of aioli on top. Serve at once, with lime wedges and any remaining aioli on the side.
— Dena Grunt, “Table With a View: The History and Recipes of Nick’s Cove” (Cameron Books, $30)
