Taco Tuesday - Margarita Marinated Grilled Fish Tacos & Coconut Rice

OMG y'all. We have a new favorite fish taco recipe. I mean, margarita is in the title. How could they not be a hit?? Also, I busted out the grill pan for these tacos and it made all the difference. Husby and I (and little man) polished off over a pound of fish - that's a lot, right? It was that good. The whole meal had a tropical vibe - perfect for summer. Or, for winter when you are dreaming of summer!

The Filling:

Start by making the marinade for the fish. I love that this can be done ahead of time (a win for this mom!). The marinade is based off a Rachel Ray recipe from her June 2015 magazine. I say "based off" because her recipe was a bit involved. For instance, she instructed that the marinade be pureed in a food processor. This mamma had no time for that! I was chopping all the ingredients anyway, so I skipped the food processor step (saving extra dishes along the way, score!). I also skipped the cumin in the recipe because I've been feeling a bit overloaded on that spice lately. What I did mix together was cilantro, tequila, lime juice, vegetable oil, Grand Marnier, agave, and garlic. I put the marinade in a gallon-size ziplock bag and added the mahi-mahi I had picked up at the fish market earlier in the day. I don't think I had ever cooked mahi-mahi before (I usually pick up halibut or cod) but Rachel Ray used mahi-mahi, and they had it available when I went to buy the fish, so I went for it! When it was time for dinner, I heated up the grill pan on the stove and grilled the corn tortillas until they charred a bit. Ohmygoodness, this took them to a whole new level. Then I just took the fish pieces out of the ziplock back and grilled them directly on the grill pan. The fish was fantastic. And made even more delicious after a squeeze of grilled lime. Ten points for Rachel Ray. I must say, her recipes are hit or miss. Some I make once and never again, and some I live for. Her pumpkin peanut butter scallops? I was brave enough to make those and they are still my favorite fall dish. 

The Topping: 

I did a pico de gallo made of tomatoes and white onions from our CSA basket, plus cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper. I didn't measure anything, I just mixed until it looked right. I also made an avocado crema (avocado mashed with a little sour cream and lime juice) - again, no measuring, just to taste! I do like to use a citrus squeezerwhen I'm preparing tacos because I find myself using so much lime juice. I kind of wish I had also added cabbage to the tacos so they had a bit more crunch.

The Side:

Coconut rice was the perfect accompaniment to these tacos. To make the rice, I heated up a teaspoon of oil in a saucepan, and used it to coat the rice. Then I added the salt, a cup of coconut milk, and a quarter cup water. I brought it all to a boil, stirred, then covered and let simmer for fifteen minutes. I stirred in some cilantro right before I served it. 

The Drink:

Well, the fish was being marinated in margarita ingredients. Everything to make a margarita was literally out on the counter. I had to make margaritas. I was just being pragmatic. Instead of a regular margarita on the rocks, I switched it up and made frozen, blended mango margaritas. I loosely followed The Pioneer Woman's recipe found here. I had fresh mango on hand so I used that, and I switched out the triple sec for Grand Marnier, and the sugar for agave (since I had those items out for the margarita marinade). I halved the recipe, but it ended up being really strong still, so I added a bunch of frozen banana. Banana sounds crazy in a margarita, but it was actually the perfect addition! It balanced them out and made them super creamy. Seriously, I felt like I was on an island! Partly because I feel I only order frozen drinks while on vacay, and partly because the margarita was so delicious. 

Margarita Marinaded Grilled Fish Tacos

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup tequila
6 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon light agave
2 cloves minced garlic

2 lbs. mahi-mahi, cut into chunks
lime for serving
corn tortillas for serving

pico de gallo
avocado crema

Directions

Combine first eight ingredients in a bowl and whisk (or, puree in a food processor). Pour marinade into a gallon sized ziplock bag. Season the maui-mahi with salt and pepper and add to the bag. Seal and refrigerate until ready to grill (at least 20 minutes). When ready to serve, heat a griddle or grill pan over medium high. Start by charring the corn tortillas (30 seconds per side) and wrap to keep warm. Next, grill the fish and lime halves (3-4 minutes for lime, 7-8 minutes for fish). Fish should be firm and browned at the edges. Transfer fish to a plate or platter and squeeze lime on top before using to assemble the tacos. Top with pico de gallo and avocado crema.

*I halved this recipe, which was plenty for our little family

Coconut Rice

Ingredients

1 tsp. oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup water

cilantro

Directions

Heat up a teaspoon of oil in a saucepan, and use it to coat the rice and salt. Add a cup of coconut milk and a quarter cup water. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and let simmer for fifteen minutes. Fluff with a fork and add chopped cilantro when ready to serve.