Grilled Fish Tacos - Secret Recipe Club

Southern California is a place all its own, chaotically caffeine fueled in some places while just up the road you may find laid back surf towns with more of a Chai Tea flair.  I'm lucky enough to live in one of those simple little surf towns on the coast and my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month is my virtual neighbor.

Allie, of Allie's Clean Plate Club, is a bit north east of me and while not on my slower paced coast she is within a few hours driving distance and lives the Southern California lifestyle.  Missing her home in Illinois, she like me, originally turned up her nose at a SoCal staple... the fish taco.

When I moved from Northern California to Southern (something I said I'd never do, but now I'd never go back) I discovered In N Out and Rubio's.  In N Out was easy to immediately love with its tasty burgers, milkshakes and salty fries, but Rubio's, with the Fist Taco featured on the menu, took a while for me to try.  Venturing like an early era explorer, I eventually made my way to the restaurant and gave the taco a try.  Like Allie, the first fish taco bite was all I needed to have me hopelessly hooked.

Never having actually made my own version I jumped at the chance to try Allie's Grilled Fish Taco recipe and wholeheartedly agree that this recipe is a keeper, I only wish I had made it years ago...

Grilled Fish Tacos
Allie's Clean Plate Club

Tacos 
1 pound white flaky fish, such as mahi mahi or tilapia
1/4 cup canola oil

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoons ancho chili powder (I didn't have Ancho - subbed half regular chili powder and half Smoked Paprika)

1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

8 flour or corn tortillas (I prefer corn for this recipe)

Garnish Suggestions

Shredded white cabbage or shredded lettuce

avocado

Hot sauce

Mexican Crema or sour cream

Thinly sliced red onion

Thinly sliced green onion

Chopped cilantro leaves

Salsa

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in a medium size dish. Whisk together the oil, lime juice, ancho chili powder, jalapeno, and cilantro and pour over the fish. Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the marinade place onto a hot grill, flesh side down. Grill the fish for 4 minutes on the first side and then flip for 30 seconds and remove. Let rest for 5 minutes then flake the fish with a fork.

Place the tortillas on the grill and grill for 20 seconds.

Divide the fish among the tortillas and garnish with any or all of the garnishes.

Liv Life Note:  We took a 1/4 cup of sour cream and mixed with 2 Tbs of Salsa and about 1/4 tsp of Smoked Paprika.  Whisk and place on tortilla before other garnishes.  Layer with your favorites, we used avocado, grilled onions, shredded lettuce, the mahi mahi and Cholula Hot Sauce.

Sunset last night from my sleepy Southern California surf town