Fish tacos are a great catch.
Jenny Angius believes in food — as medicine, as a tool for learning, and as a way to bring people together. As the executive director of development and operations at Urban Roots, a local Reno nonprofit that endeavors to change the way our community eats and learns, she has both a personal and professional mission to promote garden-based education.
This healthy mission also extends to her own family kitchen, where farm-grown and locally sourced products paired with a large dollop of fun make for meals that involve her husband, Bobby, and their two children, Paisley and Coen. Taco Tuesday is a sacred weekly ritual at the Angiuses’ house, and the whole family pitches in, with Bobby pulling skillet duty while Jenny preps and sets up toppings and sides. Not to be left out, Paisley and Coen are on the guacamole station, often using herbs, radishes, and peppers pulled from the farm or their backyard garden that day. One of their favorites is fish tacos. Loaded with fresh and bright flavors, this colorful and healthier-than-usual version (no battered and fried fish in her version) serves as a perfect weeknight dinner and a way to engage her family and celebrate fresh, nutritious products.
Jenny shares some of her suggestions for maximizing the dish to be both heathy and flavorful:
Selecting the Fish
To continue the local ethos, Jenny often will use wild-caught trout or kokanee salmon from Lake Tahoe when available, but any firm and mild fish will do. She suggests tilapia or wild-caught salmon as they are readily available from local grocers.
Toppings
The standard fish taco is somewhat spartan, with just a simple cabbage slaw, a sour-cream-based sauce, and a squeeze of lime juice. Jenny prefers to be creative and suggests that sliced radishes, cilantro leaves, and guacamole (or even avocado slices) all can serve to add variety and texture and make the tacos even more delicious.
Tortillas
A corn tortilla is the traditional base for fish tacos (but flour can be used in a pinch). Jenny suggests warming them on a comal or other cast-iron pan. However, they also can be heated directly over a gas stove burner, which allows a nice char to form in spots and adds to the authenticity. If employing this method, she suggests turning often to ensure the tortillas don’t burn.
Jenny’s Fish Tacos
(courtesy of Jenny Angius, executive director of development and operations, Urban Roots in Reno. Serves 4)
1½ pounds halibut, tilapia, or local trout
2 teaspoons chili powder (chipotle or cayenne may be substituted for additional heat)
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 small corn or flour tortillas
Optional garnishes:
Guacamole (see recipe below)
Crema (see recipe below)
½ small red cabbage, shredded
½ small green cabbage, shredded
½ cup radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Lime wedges
Gently rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Apply seasoning mix to both sides of the fish, gently patting to adhere the mix. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fish to pan and cook about 3 to 6 minutes per side (depending on thickness or until the internal temperature reaches about 145 degrees F).
Remove from pan and cover to keep warm. Prepare guacamole and crema. Warm tortillas, 1 at a time, in a hot skillet or on a comal until hot and slightly crispy. To serve, layer each tortilla with cooked fish and garnishes, including red and green cabbage, radish slices, crema, guacamole, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.
For guacamole
2 to 3 ripe avocados
½ small onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
1 Roma tomato, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
In a medium-sized bowl, mash avocados and mix in the remaining ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste.
For crema
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of salt
Pinch of paprika
Water, as needed to thin sauce
Combine ingredients in a bowl until smooth and spoon over fish tacos.
