Kevin and I spent the last 8 days traveling up and down the coast of Southern California in search of our wedding venue. There was fresh salty air, sunshine filled convertible rides up the PCH, and a lot of seafood. When we vacation in California together we try to turn almost every culinary experience into a multi-stop crawl. There is just too much beauty to be seen and too many delicious things to fit in. We will have mojitos on a rooftop deck, tuna tartare at an oceanfront patio, cups of clam chowder on a pier, and shrimp cocktail as we sip wine and watch the sunset. Then the next day we will do it all over again, but with completely different restaurants. Which brings me to fish tacos. There are also days in California where these crawls are completely dedicated to fish tacos. If there ever was a fish taco eatin’ couple…we are them!
Southern California, the San Diego area in particular, is the fish taco capitol of the world. Every time we visit we try to hit up a few different restaurants famed for having the best fish tacos. In my opinion a great fish taco only needs a few things: good fish, slaw, a creamy sauce, and a spritz of lime right before it gets gobbled up. My favorite fish or shrimp tacos tend to be fried, but I’ve had quite a few delicious blackened fish tacos that are so fresh and flavorful that you don’t miss the crispy fried exterior.
This blackened fish taco bowl has all the essential elements and then some (minus the tortilla). If you omit the grilled corn it is whole 30 compliant, low carb, and packed with so many different delicious flavors. The base of the bowl is Mexican cauliflower rice, which gets topped with the blackened cod, chopped tomato, creamy slaw salad, avocado, pickled onion, grilled corn, and a spritz of fresh lime at the end. It is filling, refreshing and full of flavor. The blackening seasoning packs the perfect amount of heat. OH MY COD, is it good.
Let’s give ’em something to taco bout.
Step 1: Assemble slaw. Empty your cabbage mix into a large mixing bowl. Combine cilantro, paleo mayo, lime juice, salt, and white wine vinegar and blend using your immersion blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are combined. Combine dressing and slaw and store in the fridge.
Step 2: Rice Rice Baby. Make your Mexican cauliflower rice. Add olive oil to pan and sauté your minced garlic over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add riced cauliflower and sauté until the cauliflower is just tender about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until the moisture is evaporated and the cauliflower is light and fluffy.
Step 3: Black Is Back. Blacken your fish filets. I used cod in this recipe, but you can substitute for mahi mahi or your favorite white fish. Combine blackening ingredients. Rub the spice mixture on both sides of the fish. In a large skillet or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil and butter until the butter is bubbly and hot, swirl the skillet to coat the bottom with the olive oil and butter. Add fish and cook 4-5 minutes per side or until fish is cooked through and charred.
Step 4: Get Corny. As your cod cooks warm your corn. I use Trader Joes frozen roasted corn to save myself time. This corn has no additives and is simply roasted and delicious. If you are keeping Whole 30, skip the corn.
Step 5: Build Dat Bowl. Assemble your fish taco bowl. Scoop Mexican cauliflower rice on the bottom. Top the rice with blackened cod, pickled onions, corn, sliced avocado, diced tomato, and slaw.
The Cod Father {the ultimate blackened fish taco bowl}
Ingredients
For the slaw:
- 9 oz shredded cabbage mix (I use Trader Joe's Organic Green and Red shredded cabbage mix)
- 1 1/4 cups paleo mayo (you can substitute for normal mayo here)
- 1/2 cup cilantro, packed
- 1 whole lime juiced
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the cauliflower rice:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 16 oz riced cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the fish:
- 1 1/2 pounds cod filets (if yours are frozen defrost and pat dry)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 3⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
- 3⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
For the bowl:
- 1 1/2 cups frozen roasted corn (I used Trader Joe's brand)
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 cup pickled red onions (see seperate recipe)
- 1 roma tomato diced
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
For the slaw: Empty your cabbage mix into a large mixing bowl. Combine cilantro, paleo mayo, lime juice, salt, and white wine vinegar and blend using your immersion blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are combined. Combine dressing and slaw and store in the fridge.
For the Mexican cauliflower rice:
- Add olive oil to pan and sauté your minced garlic over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add riced cauliflower and sauté until the cauliflower is just tender about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until the moisture is evaporated and the cauliflower is light and fluffy.
For the fish:
- Blacken your fish filets. I used cod in this recipe, but you can substitute for mahi mahi or your favorite white fish. Combine blackening ingredients. Rub the spice mixture on both sides of the fish. In a large skillet or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil and butter until the butter is bubbly and hot, swirl the skillet to coat the bottom with the olive oil and butter. Add fish and cook 4-5 minutes per side or until fish is cooked through and charred.
- As your cod cooks warm your corn. I use Trader Joes frozen roasted corn to save myself time. This corn has no additives and is simply roasted and delicious. If you are keeping Whole 30, skip the corn.
Build your bowl:
- Assemble your fish taco bowl. Scoop Mexican cauliflower rice on the bottom. Top the rice with blackened cod, pickled onions, corn, sliced avocado, diced tomato, and slaw. Serve with wedges of lime.
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