This recipe was developed for #McCormickTacoNight and this post is sponsored by McCormick; as always, opinions are my own.
We all know it’s not polite to stare at people eating, but have you ever stolen a glance? Truthfully, it’s hard not to notice the way a person eats when they’re sitting next to or across from you; it’s interesting, and I think you can tell a lot about someone by the way they make and eat a plate of food.
For example, my mom always places neatly scooped servings of each component (protein, vegetable, etc.) onto her plate so they don’t touch; then she eats all of one item, bite by bite, before moving on to the next. My niece takes this one step farther and likes to use a lunch tray to keep her food from touching (of course it might just be the cute ladybug tray that she likes though). On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve seen my brother take several beautiful meals (including Thanksgiving dinner) and mash every component together into a messy pile on his plate so that it looks like baby food, or worse.
I wonder if the way you arrange your plate and eat your food can be used like handwriting to determine your personality? My mom can definitely be meticulous and methodical when it comes to certain things…and my brother is definitely more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of guy. So, maybe.
I’m somewhere in the middle: I don’t mind my food touching, but I don’t like it mashed together. I like mixing up my bites in what I like to think of as the quest for the perfect bite: I pair a bit of veggies with a bit of meat or something else. And I’m a condiment kind-of girl, so if there’s a sauce involved (like BBQ), you know I’ll be dipping too. Tacos are one meal that I’ve always enjoyed because each bite already has a little bit of everything in it and there’s no need for me to work at putting together the perfect bite!
Fish tacos are a personal favorite of mine. In this recipe I season the fish with an ancho-garlic sauce, and then bake the fish (instead of frying) to keep the meal light. The refreshing slaw has both sweet and savory going on, providing tons of flavor along with crunch. These flavorful tacos really hit the spot…family taco night, anyone?
- Ancho-Garlic Fish:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 medium cloves garlic, crushed using a mortar and pestle or grated on a microplane
- 1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Ancho Chile Pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lb/455 g (about 5 small-medium fillets) tilapia fillets, patted dry
- Citrus-Mint Cabbage Slaw:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 medium clove garlic, crushed using a mortar and pestle or grated on a microplane
- 2 teaspoons dried crushed mint
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lb/455 g cabbage, cored and thinly sliced into shreds (about 5 cups sliced)
- 2 navel oranges, peeled and chopped
- ½ medium white onion, thinly sliced
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- Other:
- 12 small (about 5 to 6-inch) corn tortillas
- Fresh minced chives, for garnish (optional)
- Fresh lime wedges, for squeezing on top (optional)
- For the fish, preheat oven to 350F. Brush the inside of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with ½ tablespoon olive oil; arrange the fish in the prepared dish. Whisk together the remaining 1½ tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic, ancho chile pepper, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl; pour the sauce evenly over the fish. Bake the fish until fully cooked (it will be opaque and flake easily with a fork), about 12 minutes.
- Toss together all ingredients for the slaw in a large bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to use (this can be made the day ahead).
- While it’s optional, I like to char the tortillas a little bit. I (carefully!) do this by using a pair of tongs to hold a tortilla over my gas burner and rotating it around until it blackens in places. This can also be done by placing the tortillas onto a grill or hot grill pan, or putting them under a hot broiler. No matter what method you use, be very careful and watch them closely!
- To put the tacos together, put some fish onto a charred tortilla and top with some slaw and repeat. I serve 3 tacos per person along with about 1 cup of slaw as a side dish (in addition to the slaw on top of the tacos).
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Erica says
May 10, 2013 at 6:03 amHahah. I’m sort of like you, somewhere in the middle. Sometimes I’ll mix my food a bit, sometimes I’ll eat it completely separated. These look just perfect. A great summer meal
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite says
May 10, 2013 at 7:45 amI love fish tacos! These look great with the slaw.
Rosa says
May 10, 2013 at 8:19 amA tasty slaw! I love the flavors you have used (mint & lime).
Cheers,
Rosa
dixya@food, pleasure, and health says
May 10, 2013 at 9:01 amthis is perhaps one of my favorite food :) I am somewhere in the middle when it comes to eating meals but I can see how it shows some personality there.
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
May 10, 2013 at 1:17 pmNow I am going to be analyzing my family at dinner to see how they eat lol! These fish tacos sound delish Faith :)
The Squishy Monster says
May 10, 2013 at 1:35 pmI always feel compelled to do the same but inevitably get asked, “whaat?’ lol…love this recipe!
Nancy-SpicieFoodie says
May 10, 2013 at 2:04 pmI don’t think I’ve ever paid that much attention to other people, usually because I’m to busy stuffing my face. But I do admit that if there is something I don’t like on my plate I eat it first, to get it over with. Hehe! Your fish tacos look mouthwatering and the recipe is fantastic. Thanks for sharing Faith.
Eileen says
May 10, 2013 at 2:18 pmHooray for tacos! I think they may be my favorite food–especially fish tacos with tasty crunchy slaw. These look so good!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
May 10, 2013 at 2:38 pmI love fish tacos, these look mouth-watering! Can’t wait to try them!
deana says
May 10, 2013 at 8:20 pmI just love fish tacos. Lovely slaw to have with them. It just makes you feel all light and healthy after you eat them.
Eha says
May 10, 2013 at 11:14 pmAbsolutely love your fish and slaw recipes and shall make both soonest: perhaps as a taco, perhaps just piled on a plate. I am a midliner also: like to take a little of everything on the plate with each mouthful :) !
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
May 11, 2013 at 12:17 amDefinitely not too observant because by the time I reach the table, I’m all way too ready to gobble!!
Love tacos, especially fish tacos :)
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
May 11, 2013 at 7:34 pmI bet that fish taco does a dance in your mouth with every bite!
Laura says
July 20, 2013 at 10:05 pmLOVE fish tacos and these look like a wonderful version!