Since yesterday was go-go-go, the name of the today’s game was take it slow.
Sloth slow! I can happily say I did a whole lot of nothin’ besides a little freelance work and prepping dinners for the rest of the week. 
Well, I guess I also helpfully supervised the construction of a new bed frame I got for the guest bedroom on Black Friday. It looks SO good with the new bedding I got at IKEA a couple weeks ago. I’m going to do some DIY artwork for the walls, and paint the bedside table, then I’ll give ya’ the grand tour! 
Throughout the afternoon I also got a couple elements ready for Fish Tacos for dinner!
Fish Tacos are one of Ben’s and my favorite thing. We are obsessed with all kinds, but especially the grilled fish tacos we’ve had a couple times at Tin Fish in San Diego. Feeling a bit festive and inspired this weekend, I decided to recreate!
I used Bobby Flay’s recipe, which calls for marinating fresh filets of mahi mahi in a smoky marinade before searing on the grill.
The marinade was super simple. Just chili powder, vegetable oil, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno and salt.
Mix everything up and marinate the filets for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat up the grill or a grill pan. We’re talkin’ to rip roarin’ levels. Like, having to temporarily take down your smoke detector in the kitchen because the fish created so much steam and smoke when it hit the grill that the fire alarm wouldn’t stop going off and you wanted to rip your hair out, hot.
Bobby’s recipe said to grill the mahi mahi for 4 minutes on one side and 30 seconds on the other, but I’m not sure how big his filets were, ’cause mine took about 15 minutes total.
Totally worth the wait though!
Flake the cooked fish up, quickly grill some flour tortillas, then get topping happy!
One of the best things about fish tacos, in my opinion, is all the great toppings you can add.
I started with thinly sliced cabbage, green onions and sharp cheddar cheese.
It’s usually a big no-no to pair fish with cheese, but I think it really makes these babies.
Next I piled on a trio of homemade toppings, starting with pickled jalapenos & red onions, (LOVED these!!!)
and lime sour cream, which is just reduced fat sour cream mixed with salt, pepper and lime juice.
All together now!
Looooved these tacos! The fish tasted to fresh, and those toppings were incredible. Especially the pickled red onion and jalapenos. Only took about 5 minutes to make, and was so flavorful but not too spicy. Love!
Recipes:
Think I’ll bust out a Blue Bunny Hot Cocoa Ice Cream Sandwich next, then get ready to watch the season finale of The Next Iron Chef. Who do you think will win – Chef Zakarian or Chef Faulkner?!
I think Faulkner should win, but I think they’ll give it to Zakarian for political reasons. He scares me.
Hope you had a great weekend!
PS thank you to everyone who voted for my brother for Social Czar of Des Moines! If you have 5 seconds to spare would you consider clicking here, and voting for Justin Wise for the position? Rock the vote! :D
~~~~~
Do you like cooking reality shows? What’s your favorite?
I heart Top Chef because Tom Colicchio keeps it totally real. He doesn’t care about the drama that may be going on with the contestants and votes purely on the food produced.
Great pics, lady!
ugh those look SO yummy. i love fish tacos especially with mahi mahi! here in south florida they call it dolphin.. it always throws me off seeing it on menus haha
Omg, these tacos were just what I needed to see as I’m daydreaming about our upcoming trip to Mexico!
I’m a sucker for ALL of the cooking shows. Seriously, all of ‘em!
yea Tom. love that man. sometimes when I’m writing a restaurant review and I’m having trouble deciding how to scrutinize a dish I think to myself WWTCD?
Do you ever have any problems using your grill pan on your flat top stove? I have one I ordered on my counter tonight ready to return to Kohl’s because the last instruction on the package says “Not recommended for glass top stoves.” I can’t fathom why I *couldn’t* use it on my glass top, but I’m curious if you’ve ever experienced any problems.
(and now I want to make those fish tacos…disguised as ‘meat’ for my family!)
I can’t seem to get mine to work nearly as well as when I had a gas flame. The heat is never even – no matter how long I preheat the thing.
I haven’t – works well every time!
Just voted!
I didn’t know Justin was your brother. I know of him from church! What a crazy connection! Love your blog so much!
Thanks Amanda – we appreciate it!
I love the idea of fish tacos and would have probably added sliced avocado to them along with all of your other great condiments. As far as Bobby Flay and his fish cooking time… I am going to guess that since mahi mahi is a fairly firm fish he probably cooks his to a rare or medium rare. I will eat sushi if I want to eat raw or undercooked fish
What kind of tortillas did you use?
Can’t wait to try that recipe! Top Chef is definitely my favorite cooking show! I have been watching since season 1 and I’m still so addicted! Tom definitely knows what’s up
Your tacos look absolutely delicious! Your dinner kicks our dinner’s booty
I heart top chef too
YES! Team Faulkner! They totally need another femaile iron chef and she is so cool! But I also have a feeling they’re going to pick Zakarian.
I love to watch Chopped.
love the idea of pickled jalapeno & red onions – totally makes them! Team Faulkner!
I love me some lazy Sundays! Those fish tacos look amazing… we never cook fish except for the summer when we get it down the shore, but I may have to reconsider. Do you just get your fish at the grocery store? Do you look for any special labels to ensure it’s fresh and eco friendly?
Yep I just got it right at the regular grocery store!
My fiancee and I LOVE cooking shows. Our favorites are Chopped and Top Chef. We’ve really enjoyed this season of Next Iron Chef! We watch it together on Monday night, so I can’t wait to watch it then.
Yuuum. These look amazing and it looks like summertime!
I love fish tacos! The best fish tacos I’ve ever had in my life were from a street vendor in Brooklyn on a trip there last fall. The tacos actually used feta cheese, which was ah-mazing. I have been meaning to recreate them ever since!
I don’t care for the Iron Chef/Top Chef shows, but I am addicted to Cupcake Wars!
And I second cooking the fish to done for something like this
Yum! We have never actually made fish tacos at home. For some reason cooking fish scares me, but you make it all look so easy.
Great pics by the way!
Those look SO delicious! Your photography just keeps getting better and better!
Gorgeous photos! Also–I was so happy with the outcome of the NIC
I love fish tacos and these look delish!! If you are ever in Chicago you must try the ones at Las Palmas…pickled jicama…yep that’s all I have to say about that.
Top Chef rocks!
LOVEEE fish tacos! Had some Saturday night at our fave Mexican restaurant
They use corn tortillas, top them with cabbage, an avocado cream sauce, and serve them with cilantro rice and the best, best, black beans ever [thick, chunky, with tomatoes]… DELIC!
These look so delicious! I love fish tacos and will definitely be trying these out very soon!
I adore fish tacos, and these look wonderful. I’m intrigued by the pickled jalapenos and onions — next time I make fish tacos, I’m going to try that.
PS: I agree with your Iron Chef assessment — I figured Zakarian would take it…both of them look scary in those pictures with the sharp knives
Are you using a nonstick or cast iron grill pan? I’m asking for a cast iron for Christmas and want to know what you think….if that is in fact what you have. VOTED.
I have a non stick but sprayed it really really well with non-stick spray!
I love Top Chef as well, Tom + Padma + Gail really take the judging seriously and I appreciate that!
The salsa you used looks amazing!! I honestly think that salsa can make or break a dish. Yours looked like it definitely made this recipe even better
I totally agreed with you on the ruling of Next Iron Chef. While Chef Zacharian is quite scary and does great work, I think Faukner could’ve totally brought creativity and flare to every battle that he will not be able to. I’m more or so just upset that the show is over.
I love Chopped, Iron Chef America, Top Chef, Restaraunt Impossible…pretty much any and every cooking competition show out there.
Do you like cooking reality shows? What’s your favorite? Yes, I’m a Top Chef fan, but not the TC Masters or TC Just Desserts; only the original
Um, those fish tacos look sooooo good! I am totally making them after the holidays! Yum!
BTW, voted for your bro!
I’m a sucker for many of the food reality shows. Top Chef has always been my FAV but I’ve also gotten really hooked on The Great Food Truck Race. Love to see what people are trying out there!
Is there anything that you make that isn’t delicious? Just made this tonight to RAVE reviews! You have become my absolute go to for delicious, easy and healthy recipes!
We went back for seconds!
Yay – so glad you enjoyed!
Yum! I used to live in San Diego & loved getting fish tacos on Taco Tuesdays for a dollar. Seemed like every little beach resturaunt offered a deal for taco Tuesdays.
I’ll need to recreate this meal for sure!
[...] beef was actually supposed to be served on flour tortilla shells as tacos, but someone had 5 fish tacos and used them all up. No problem. I made Chipotle Rice to serve it on [...]