Recipes

Salmon Tacos with Greens & Tomatillo Salsa

Salmon Tacos with Greens & Tomatillo Salsa

There are so many reasons to embrace Taco Tuesday. Tacos are versatile, super fun to make, and such a crowd-pleaser — our kids are wild for them. They’re also one of the easiest midweek meals around, and this recipe is no exception.

We baked a big salmon fillet for our tacos, but you could also make this recipe with leftover salmon or any firm, large-flake fish you have around. The fish gets broken up with a fork, and then tossed with chard that’s been sautéed in olive oil, garlic, and serrano chiles. The combination is positively silky with the fats and wilted greens. Add the tomatillo salsa, and this dish is already a hot, garlicky flavor bomb — and you haven’t even gotten to the toppings.

Do you need them? Most definitely! The cabbage adds a wonderful crunch, the cilantro is a fresh counterpoint to the cooked salsa, and we love how the creamy queso fresco tempers all the fiery chiles. It all tastes amazing in a soft corn tortilla.

Our tip: this can be a spicy little number, but you can lower the heat by going light on the chile peppers and making sure to trim out all their pith and ribs.

Yield: 8 to 10 tacos

Ingredients

1 lb salmon fillets

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 bunch chard, stemmed

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 3 serrano chiles, minced

1 cup tomatillo salsa

8 to 10 corn tortillas

2 to 3 ounces crumbled queso fresco, optional

Shredded cabbage, optional

Chopped cilantro, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300º.

  2. Lightly oil a baking pan and place the salmon on top. Season with salt and gently rub the salt into the surface of the salmon. Add pepper to taste.

  3. Place the fish in the oven and bake 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the thickness), until white beads of protein appear on the surface and the fish can be pulled apart with a fork.

  4. When the fish is cool enough to handle, scrape away the white protein beads, flake the fish, and place it in a bowl. Discard the skin. Season the fish well with salt and pepper, and set it aside.

  5. Blanch the chard in boiling salted water just until wilted, about 1 minute.

  6. Transfer the greens to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process, and then drain and squeeze out any excess water. Chop the greens medium-fine, and set them aside.

  7. In a heavy, medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic and chiles. Stir until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add the greens and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and toss in the pan for about a minute, until nicely infused with the oil, garlic, and chiles.

  8. Add the greens mixture to the fish. Stir in ½ cup of the salsa. Taste and adjust seasonings.

  9. Warm the tortillas in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Wrap the warmed tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel while you work.

  10. Transfer the warm tortillas to plates and top them with the fish. Spoon on a little more salsa and, if desired, garnish with crumbled queso fresco , shredded cabbage, and chopped cilantro. Fold the tortillas over and serve.

Recipe adapted from: NYT Cooking

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