Fish Tacos Al Pastor with Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Fish Tacos Al Pastor with Grilled Pineapple Salsa is full of incredible sweet n’ spicy flavor and a delectable twist on the traditional pork version.
Servings 12 tacos
Calories 199kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
AL PASTOR
- 4 guajillo chiles*
- 2 morita chiles*
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons achiote powder*
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 onion , chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black ground pepper
- 2 lbs mahi mahi** or other fairly dense fish, cut into 1-inch strips
SALSA
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey , divided
- 3 pineapple slices , ½-inch thick
- 1 small red onion , cut horizontally into ½-inch whole slices
- 2 ears corn , husked
- ¼ cup cilantro , chopped
- 1 jalapeño , minced
- 1 lime , juice and zest
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
TO SERVE
- 12 corn or flour tortillas , grilled or warmed
- Grilled Pineapple Salsa
- Cotija cheese, grated
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
Instructions
AL PASTOR
- Fill a medium saucepan about halfway with water. Add guajillo and morita chiles and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 30 minutes to let chiles steep and soften.
- When cool enough to handle, remove stems any remaining seeds and place in a high-powered blender or food processor.
- While chiles steep, heat oil in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic cloves and cook until starting to brown, about 1 minute on each side.
- Stir in oregano, cumin, achiote powder, and paprika. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Scrape entire mixture into blender.
- Add onion, pineapple juice, orange juice, honey, salt and pepper. Purée until smooth. Reserve 1 cup chile sauce for serving; cover and leave at room temperature.
- Pour remaining purée over fish in a large bowl or baking dish. Gently toss to coat. Cover and chill 1–3 hours. Meanwhile, make SALSA (see below).
- Clean grates on grill very well. Brush with vegetable oil, or brush vegetable oil on a cast iron griddle and place on grates. Heat grill on medium-high heat.
- Working in batches if necessary, grill fish, leaving space between each piece so you can easily flip them. Grill until marinade is dried and begins to caramelize and char, 2–2 ½ minutes.
- Using a spatula with the help of tongs if needed, release fish from grill and turn. Continue to grill until charred on second side and flesh is opaque in the center, 2 minutes more. Remove from grill to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Lower heat to medium and grill tortillas until just beginning to char, about 45 seconds per side. Wrap in foil to keep warm.
SALSA
- Heat grill on medium heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of honey together. Brush mixture all over pineapple, red onion and corn.
- Make sure grill grates are clean and place pineapple, onion, and corn directly on grates. Close lid and grill 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften and grill marks show.
- Carefully flip pineapple and onion with a spatula, and turn corn with tongs. Grill another 3-4 minutes and remove pineapple and onion. Continue to rotate corn until charred on all sides, another 2-3 minutes per side.
- When cool enough to handle, dice pineapple and red onion, and place into a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Cut corn kernels from cobs and add to the pineapple mixture. Gently stir in cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, zest, olive oil, and remaining ½ tablespoon of honey.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. (Can be prepared 4-6 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)
TO SERVE
- Top each tortilla with a schmear of reserved chile puree, a piece of fish, spoonful of pineapple salsa, shredded cotija, cilantro, jalapeños, and squeeze of lime. Enjoy!
Notes
*A blend of other dried chiles may also be used, such as ancho, pasilla, and chipotle. If you can’t find achiote powder, chili powder can be substituted.
**Firmer white fish like mahi mahi, halibut, swordfish, or grouper work best when grilling. Cod, tilapia, and flounder are rather delicate and will likely fall apart while cooking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 taco | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2078IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 59mg