April 29, 2016

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar

Tacos!!!

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar

You know you love them.

I tend to recoil at the mere mention of most food holidays, but when the warm weather hits I am most definitely a Taco Tuesday enthusiast. Fresh fish, toasty tortillas, and a cold glass of Corona? Clearly an unbeatable combo. But what I love most about summertime tacos is the ability to get crazy creative while keeping things healthy, too. I’ve experimented with countless taco incarnations — should I share more? tell me! — but some of my favorite mixes include:

shrimp + roasted red pepper + corn + cilantro crema

tuna + avo + bacon + pico

and of course, this.

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar

Mahi Mahi is a meaty white fish that’s mellow in flavor and super easy to cook, so it’s a great choice for 30-minute tacos. Mahi’s subtle taste makes it the perfect for all kinds of yummy sauces — sesame ginger, chili lime butter, YAS! — but I especially love the way it works with this quick-fix honey bbq sauce. Now if you’ve ever attempted making traditional bbq sauce you know it’s a MESS of ingredients that’s fairly annoying to measure out. But what I’ve fashioned here is essentially the lazy man’s version of bbq sauce.

No molasses, diced onion, or garlic cloves needed, just 5 simple ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right this second.

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar

Since the sauce-soaked Mahi is brimming with intense flavor — lots of sweetness from the brown sugar and honey, slight tang from the Worcestershire, and a touch of acidity via the vinegar — these tacos don’t need much else to shine. I ultimately complimented them with thinly sliced red onions for added color, texture, and just a touch of caramelized taste, and the fact that I threw in some cheese is the least surprising addition EVER, is it not?! But shockingly enough I actually went pretty tame here, sparingly sprinkling my extra-sharp cheddar for a lightly melted touch that finished these just right.

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar

Because the Mahi is so ridiculously easy to prepare — simply saute over a medium flame — the entire recipe is effortless at just 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for the workweek grind. And if you’re entertaining friends? Hell yes! This recipe is readily scalable for a crowd, so get cooking. xo

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • HONEY BBQ SAUCE:
  • 2/3 cup Ketchup
  • 1/3 cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 2 tbsps Honey
  • 1 tbsp White Vinegar
  • 2 – 3 tsps Worcestershire Sauce (taste to your liking!)
  • TACOS:
  • 1 lb Mahi Mahi
  • a few pinches Salt & Pepper
  • 8 Corn Tortillas
  • 1 Medium Red Onion
  • 2 tsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • pinch of Salt
  • 1/4 cup Crumbled Cheddar – approx. (I used Cabot)
  • Fresh Cilantro to garnish

Directions:

  1. In large mixing bowl combine all sauced ingredients, whisking well until smooth.
  2. On cutting board dice mahi mahi into cubes, then lightly season with salt & pepper. Toss evenly in honey bbq sauce, then set aside in refrigerator until needed.
  3. Wipe down cutting board before slicing red onion into thin strips. Next, in large skillet saute onions in EVOO over medium flame until lightly caramelized, ~10 minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined bowl to cool.
  4. While onions cook, heat tortillas as directed and crumble cheese. Set both aside.
  5. In same skillet as onions (after they’ve been removed) cook marinated mahi mahi over medium flame until cooked through, ~8 minutes.  When ready build tacos with a layer of fish, onions, cheddar, and cilantro, then immediately plate and serve.

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddartaco tuesday yo.

Honey BBQ Mahi Mahi Tacos w/ Red Onion & Crumbled Cheddar
posted by Christine in: Crowd Pleasers
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