Recipe
Blackened fish tacos with pineapple salsa recipe
Smoky cajun-spiced fish meets a sweet, zesty pineapple salsa in this effortlessly fresh meal that you'll want to add to your weekly rotation immediately.
By Sophie Godwin
I love a fish taco, and this is a speedy version with pan-fried fish, a simple pineapple salsa and a seedy spiced oil. Packed full of flavour and oh-so-fresh, this is one to add to your weekly roster of meals. If you’re extra hungry, serve with some guac and tortilla chips on the side.
Ingredients to make blackened fish tacos with pineapple salsa recipe
Serves 2 as a light meal
Takes 30 minutes
2 skinless, boneless salmon fillets (or thick fish fillets of choice; if using white fish
go for something meaty like cod or haddock)
2½ teaspoons fajita or
Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon pumpkin or sunflower seeds (or a mixture of both)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small tortillas
(use gluten-free tortillas to make this gluten free)
150g (5½oz) soured cream
or Greek yogurt
FOR THE PINEAPPLE SALSA
½ red onion
100g (3½oz) pineapple chunks (or ¼ small ripe pineapple)
large handful of coriander (cilantro)
6–10 slices of pickled jalapeños (depending on
how spicy you like it)
1–2 limes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make blackened fish tacos with pineapple salsa recipe
To make the salsa, finely chop the red onion and scrape it into a bowl. Dice the pineapple into small, bite-sized cubes (peel and core if using fresh) and add to the onion. Finely chop most of the coriander (stalks and all) and the pickled jalapeños, and add to the bowl.
Add the zest and juice of 1 lime, then stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the fajita or Cajun seasoning over each fillet and season with salt and pepper.
Put a dry, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds and toast for a few minutes until they start to pop. Tip them into a small bowl and stir through the remaining ½ teaspoon of fajita or Cajun seasoning and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with a pinch of salt – this is a nice, seedy, spicy oil to top your tacos. Set aside.
Put the pan back on a medium–high heat. Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then lay in the salmon. Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until the fish blackens in places and is cooked through. Remove to a plate while you warm the tortillas briefly in the pan.
To serve, spread the soured cream or yogurt over one side of each tortilla and flake over the salmon fillets, then spoon the salsa on top with the seeded oil and the remaining coriander leaves. Cut the remaining lime into wedges to squeeze over, if liked. Banging.
Feature image: Caitlin Isola
This is an edited extract from I’ll Cook! by Sophie Godwin, photography by Caitlin Isola. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.
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