I had the opportunity to travel to Alaska a few summers back for a week of fishing on the Kenai Peninsula.  As part of the return trip, my luggage included a 50 pound box of vacuum sealed fillets of silver salmon, halibut, lingcod and rockfish.  I’d ate and cooked plenty of salmon and halibut before, but I didn’t have a clue what to do with the lingcod or rockfish.  And then, while flipping through a cookbook, grilled fish tacos entered and changed my life forever.

The recipe below is from an America’s Test Kitchen cookbook.  I don’t claim it to be my own, but here’s what you’ll need:

2-3 fillets of white flaky fish (mahi-mahi, rockfish, bass, or walleye)
Chili powder
Peppers in adobo sauce (you’ll find them in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store)
Cabbage
Mayo
Lime juice
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Cilantro, if desired
Tortillas
Limes

Prep work:
Start by mixing about 2-3 teaspoons of chili powder with a pinch or two of salt.  This will be the seasoning that you put on the fish.  I brush the fillets with olive oil, and then rub the seasoning mixture onto one side of the fillet.  Set the fish aside.

Next, shred the cabbage.  I usually shred about a 2-3 cups of cabbage, which will be enough for 4-6 tacos.  Drizzle some olive oil and lime juice over the cabbage, mix it up, and season with salt and pepper.

Finally, mince anywhere from 2-6 peppers from the adobo sauce, and then mix in with about half a cup or a cup of mayo, and about a tablespoon of lime juice.

Grill work:
The grill needs to be nice and hot.  Oil the grates by putting vegetable oil on a paper towel and then applying to the grates.  This will help keep the fish from sticking.

Once the grill is hot, put the fish on the grates, seasoned side down.  Let the fish cook for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet, and then flip.  Cook for another 3-5 minutes or until done.  Cover the fish and set aside.

The most important step:  Put the tortillas on the grill for about 20-30 seconds per side, or until they are warmed up and a little crispy.  A cold tortilla just isn’t the same.

Prepping the tacos:
Put about a spoonful or two of the mayo mixture on each tortilla, add the cabbage, and then top with the fish.  I usually squeeze a lime wedge over the top.  You could add in the cilantro at this point also.

Enjoy on a patio and with your favorite cold beverage while Summer is still here.