Cod Tacos with Guacamole and Cotija Cheese

I realize that it’s been far too long since my last blog entry, and it’s entirely my fault. My original intention was to post an entry on Beef Enchiladas with Red Mole Sauce. However, when I prepared this recipe, the end result was a disgusting, abominable disaster. I’d never made mole sauce before, and I felt like being adventurous, so I attempted it. I won’t go into extreme detail about the numerous missteps, but I accidentally purchased the wrong peppers, and the recipes I was using as guides both seemed a little… off… So what came of my culinary adventure was a sauce that looked like something that should never be consumed by anything human that was also blow-your-head-off spicy and tasted like what I imagine you would get when mixing Drano with tomato paste and chicken by-product. Yeah.

Well, as a result of this lackluster kitchen endeavor, I now have a huge sack full of corn tortillas sitting in my refrigerator. So tonight I decided to put them to good use and prepared a favorite dish of mine.

Now, for this recipe, you can use any kind of fish you like. I happened to have cod on hand, as it was on sale. One reason I love to use seafood in Mexican-inspired dishes is that so often, Mexican food is considered to be greasy and heavy; however, using seafood provides a lighter twist, making the food more refreshing, I think.

First, let’s start with the guacamole. When it comes to my friends, I’m in the minority when it comes to guacamole (or avocados, in general). I adore it and could eat it by the bowlful. However, if you’re not a fan of the green stuff, this dish would be excellent with homemade salsa or pico de gallo (which I wish I’d thought of making, actually), or sautéed onions and peppers.

I’ve seen pretty elaborate guacamole recipes that incorporate tomatoes, onions, a variety of spices, and what-have-you. I prefer to keep it simple, a) because it’s easier, and b) I’d prefer to appreciate the delicate flavor of the avocado.

Guacamole

4 ripe avocados

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 tbs. lemon or lime juice

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop the “meat” out with a spoon into a large bowl. Once you have prepared all the avocados in this manner, incorporate your salt, pepper, and citrus juice. Mash the avocados with a fork until the mixture has reached the desired consistency.

That’s it. Seriously. You will rarely ever see me put something so simple on the blog. But man, it’s freakin’ good.

Now, onto the cod! 

Mexican-Spiced Cod

1 lb. cod filets*

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. chili powder

1 tbs. olive oil

*When it comes to the cod filets, you may find that all you can locate are several smaller filets, while I ended up with a huge, honkin’ single filet that was over 1 lb. in weight. Whichever you have on hand is irrelevant. You’re going to be cutting up the cod for the tacos anyway, so don’t be overly concerned about presentation.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine all the spices, and reserve. Lay the cod filets on a greased baking sheet, and cover them liberally with the spice blend (preferably on both sides). Drizzle the cod with olive oil, and bake in the oven for around 20-25 minutes or until the fish is firm. (NOTE: If you’re using smaller, thinner filets, the cooking time will likely not be as long).

Remove the fish from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Consume as desired. (And in this case, we desire tacos).

I’m not going to patronize you by providing instructions on assembling tacos. You’re all adults; you know what to do. I used corn tortillas because that’s what I had on hand, but I suspect that flour tortillas would likely be tastier. But before we conclude, I do want to briefly explain the one ingredient that puts this recipe over-the-top: Cotija cheese.

If you’ve never had Cotija cheese before, think of it as somewhat of a Mexican version of feta. It has a similar flavor and consistency. It can be rather expensive, but because of its intense flavor, a little bit goes a LONG way, so you get your money’s worth. This cheese is great crumbled on top of any Mexican dish, and would even be delicious in a salad.

Aaaaaaaand time for the big reveal: 

(It's so pretty you almost don't want to eat it -- but you do anyway, because it's freakin' awesome, and we don't waste food around here.)