Margarita Fish Tacos with Herbed Bread-Stuffed Tomatoes

Yes, it is true, I have blogged about fish tacos once before. But these ones are made differently! I promise! In fact, it almost tastes like a different meal since the fish is approached from an entirely different direction. The other post lightly breaded the fish and mixed in a bit of pepper before baking it. This one is made on the stove in a margarita sauce.

And then, of course, the accompaniments are different. To go along with the tequila and fish taco flavors, I made some stuffed tomatoes. Think of them as inside-out bruschetta... Tomatoes with cheese, bread, and spices inside them rather than tomatoes sitting on the bread. Interesting, right? And far healthier since this version emphasizes the tomato rather than the bread. Are you enticed enough to read on yet? Good, let's go!

Margarita Fish Tacos
You can use a variety of fish for this meal, just pick out a firm white fish of some type. I chose to use catfish for this round, but have made delicious fish tacos in the past with grouper, mahi-mahi, halibut, and tilapia as well. Choose whichever looks freshest- you will prepare in the same style no matter which one you choose!

Marinate your fish by placing it in a plastic bag and adding lime juice, tequila, and a splash of cointreau. (That's right - a margarita!) Use about 2-3 tablespoons of lime juice, 1.5-2 tablespoons of tequila, and just about a teaspoon of cointreau. Let the fish marinate for about 20-25 minutes. You actually do NOT want to over-marinate as the citrus in the liquids will actually end up cooking the fish in a ceviche style.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan. (Less than 1 teaspoon.) Add two cloves of freshly minced garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Cut the fish into strips that are about 2 inches long and .5 inches wide. Place the fish pieces in the pan over medium heat. Pour on the remaining marinade. Sprinkle on just about 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1.5 teaspoons (roughly) of chipotle. Stir regularly and cook for about 7-8 minutes or until cooked through. Because the pieces are so small the fish should cook quickly.

In the meantime, you should get your sides ready! Go to my past fish tacos recipe referenced above to find a recipe for guacamole if you do not remember how to make it. Cut up some fresh tomatoes and put out some shredded cheese - there are Mexican blends that are sold, but Cheddar or Monterey Jack also work well. Just make sure to buy a low fat or fat free variety! If you would like to put out some salsa as well, that always adds to tacos. You can serve these in a soft or hard shell.

When the fish is cooked through put it out and eat while it's warm. Beware that if you're eating the tacos in a hard shell you might want to shake off any excess liquid as you pick up the fish, or else eat your taco very quickly. It'll soak through and break otherwise!

Herbed Bread-Stuffed Tomatoes
I'm not sure why these struck me as pairing so well with the tacos, but they did work out very well. And were delicious. The recipe, as you will see, is simple to follow. I substituted shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese for the Parmesan. I also use vine tomatoes, my personal favorite, rather than the plum tomatoes for which the recipe called. These worked out very well but I have no doubt that the others do as well!

And, as mentioned above, this really does come out like reverse bruschetta. You'll want to use crisp bread (they have you toast it) crumbled or cut up as bread crumbs and mix that with fresh herbs, the insides of the tomato, some spices, and a touch of olive oil. The recipe suggest you scoop out the inside of the tomato and strain through a sieve. I, however, am a huge tomato fan and could not reconcile myself with throwing good portions of it away. I kept the entire inside, cut it up into small pieces, and never bothered with a sieve. I mixed the entire inside with the rest of the ingredients. This did mean, of course, that my tomatoes were overflowing with mixture. You might want to lessen a little bit of other things to make room, or else just know that you will be piling the filling high!

Eat while they're warm! Leftovers work well too - store covered and air-tight in the fridge and re-heat in the microwave before enjoying.