tacos and wishful thinking

Grilled Lime Chicken and Tofu Tacos

with spicy black beans, roasted corn, crisp red cabbage slaw and pineapple-avocado salsa

I wish it were summer. I love summer. . . and I do not love winter, and I’m not very fond of spring because of the rain. When the sun finally does come out, I feel alive with energy and ideas and my thoughts invariably turn toward spring and summer foods! I mean seriously, who doesn’t love summer foods? Strawberries, sweet corn on the cob, plump tomatoes, peaches so ripe and delicious that you can’t help but let the juice run down your chin.  I also love, love, love when it’s time to fire up the grill and eat delicious marinated veggies with charred bits stuck to the edges, sweet and sticky fruits, and of course, the wonderfully versatile vegetarian staples, tempeh and tofu!  However, I’m not really into being out on the porch, pretending it’s warm when it’s not.  It’s not quite time yet to fire up that grill.  I am, however, the proud owner of one indoor grill.   So, feeling the anticipatory excitement about the future grilling, lounging, swimming and sun-soaking I plan to do, I decided to make fish tacos.  Wait, you say, this post is about chicken tacos, not fish tacos. Well, let me explain:  I’ve been a strict vegetarian for five years, but I’m trying to be open to the possibility of occasionally eating wild-caught fish.  I’m pretty insistent, however, that it be wild-caught. I managed to find just what I was looking for: fresh, wild-caught Mahi Mahi. Unfortunately, it was like a billion dollars a pound (okay, it might as well have been) and I couldn’t justify spending that amount for just one meal, no matter how warm and summery it made me feel inside.   In case you don’t know your geography (Kris?), Indiana is nowhere near the ocean, thus making really fresh fish scarce. So, I appeased my conscience and my bank account by using chicken and tofu. I was still determined to have tacos, despite this setback.

As for the rest of the ingredients, it really depends on your personal tastes.  One thing does matter though: freshness. Try to find the freshest ingredients, whether it’s at your local farmer’s market, Whole Foods, or in your own backyard.

So the fish tacos may have to wait until it’s actually summer.  Thankfully, these tacos are delicious and endlessly adaptable to your personal tastes.  I love the bite of the jalepeno, the tangy pineapple, the sour lime and the smooth, mellow avocado.  The corn duo – the salty crunch of the tortilla and sweet, roasted kernels – is perfect!

Tacos – serves two

For the taco shells:
4 corn tortillas
½ c canola oil
flaky sea salt or kosher salt

For the salsa:
1 ripe avocado, half diced, half mashed
½ c diced fresh pineapple
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 c red onion, finely chopped
¼ c chopped cilantro
2 tsp – 2 T minced jalepeno pepper (to taste)
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
salt to taste

For the protein:
Lime butter sauce (recipe follows)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 2 servings of firm tofu
Lime butter sauce:
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
Purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

For the corn:
1 c fresh corn kernels, or frozen, or canned
2 T canola oil
2 tsp sugar
½ t salt

For the beans:
1 c black beans
¼ tsp ground cumin
1/4 c chopped cilantro
pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the cabbage:
1 c thinly sliced red cabbage
½ c grated carrots (optional)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp canola oil
pinch of salt

other additions: rice, freshly grated cheddar or Monterey cheese, sour cream

Directions

1. Cut the chicken or tofu into strips, and place in a plastic bag. Add enough of the lime butter sauce to coat all of the protein.  Alternatively, you could simply brush the protein with the sauce immediately prior to grilling. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes.  I used this time to chop all the other things.
2. Prepare the salsa: Chop the pineapple, tomatoes, cilantro, jalepeno and onion. Dice and mash the avocado, adding it last.  Add the lime juice and salt; Stir to coat, and set aside. (Or, make some tortilla chips and snack on the salsa while you’re doing the rest!)
3. Thinly slice red cabbage and grate/shred carrots.  In a bowl, toss the veggies with the oil and vinegar. Add the salt to taste.
4. Combine all the ingredients (except the cilantro) for the beans in a small saucepan and warm over low heat, adding salt and pepper to taste at the end.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Set aside.
5. Prepare the corn: heat the oil in an iron skillet set over medium heat.  Add the corn, salt, and sugar and stir continually until the corn becomes a golden brown but hasn’t lost its crunch.  Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Make the tortillas: Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook the tortillas on both sides until crispy on the edges but still slightly flexible.  Remove to a paper towel to eliminate excess oil, sprinkle with salt, then form into “taco shell shapes.”
7. Heat your indoor grill to medium-high heat.  (If you don’t have an indoor grill, you can easily cook the protein in oil on the stove top.)  Remove the protein from the plastic bag and cook on the grill until cooked throughout, or until the desired grill marks are achieved.
8. Create your own masterpiece: add a little of this and a little of that, and enjoy the fruits of your (chopping) labor.  Grab a beer and dig in, imagining that you’re just back from the beach, with salt on your skin and sand in your hair.