May

Melon Mojito Fish Tacos

I’ll never forget the time that I posted on Facebook about the really delicious virgin, sugar-free mojito I was enjoying thanks to stevia. I should have just left out the v-word because everyone jumped to one conclusion. I think you can guess what that was. But lil ol’ me? I live in my own little world sometimes, where it’s totally normal for anyone to drink virgin cocktails, just to save a few calories on a weeknight.

Or even on a weekend. I grilled up these mojito fish tacos on a Saturday night, but that didn’t stop me from pouring myself another refreshing virgin mojito. (Maybe things would have been a little different if Ben and I hadn’t split a bottle of wine the night before. But I have rules that pertain when I’m trying to drop a few pounds, and they involve not drinking on more than one night per week!)

I can’t say whether it was the thought of that tangy, minty sugar-free mojito that inspired these tacos, or the gorgeous honeydew I’ve enjoyed in fruit salad at a few recent functions. Growing up, I never cared for honeydrew, but its mellow, subdued sweetness is something I’ve come to love lately. But still, I feel the same way about it as I do about watermelon, and that is, it has to be really good melon. Juicy, brightly colored, and oozing summery fresh sweetness. As soon as I cut into this one and saw its vivid green hue, I knew I had picked a good melon.

But maybe, just maybe, it was something else that inspired this recipe, and if you’re my good friend or mother-in-law you have probably already guessed that one: my favorite colors! You don’t even know the level of satisfaction I got, from pairing the honeydew with little bits of light purple onion and long slivers of saturated purple cabbage. If crunchy cabbage weren’t the classic accompaniment for fish tacos, I probably would have thrown in some raspberries, just to get my purple-and-green fix. Indulge me for a second: are these tacos anything less than gorgeous?

Lest you think it’s all about the colors and drinks, rest assured that we really enjoyed eating these tacos, not just looking at them. As if we didn’t already love tacos, especially fish tacos, these ones rank a few notches higher thanks to a few splashes of rum (no, these are not virgin mojito fish tacos) and a tangy, fresh twist on the classic fruit salsa. I think we can all drink to that!

You can use any firm white fish to make these tacos, but my choice is Barramundi, a sustainably-farmed white fish with impeccable flavor comparable to seabass, and omega-3 levels like that of wild salmon. Look for it frozen under the name Australis Barramundi, or your local grocer’s label.

Additionally, I’m sure these would be just as delicious with your favorite melon, if you happen to love watermelon or cantaloupe more than honeydew.

Love tacos? I think they’re the perfect vehicle for experimenting with different flavors. Here are a few of our favorites:

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Melon Mojito Fish Tacos

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A refreshing summer twist on the classic fish taco. Don't care for honeydew? Try watermelon or cantaloupe - the result will be just as colorful and delicious!

Ingredients:

Fish
2 barramundi filets, about 6oz each (or other firm white fish, such as mahi)
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons light rum
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Honeydew Mojito Salsa
1 cup finely chopped honeydew melon (150gm)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon light rum
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Remaining Ingredients
6 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups chopped red cabbage (1/4th of a large cabbage)

Directions:

Place fish on in a small baking dish. Whisk together garlic, rum, lime juice, lime zest, mint, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over fish, spooning the herbs and garlic on top of the fish. Set aside and let marinate 10-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare salsa by combining all ingredients in a medium bowl and stirring together.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Spray grates with cooking spray.

Place fish on grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, covered, turning once. Fish is done with it flakes easily and is opaque in the center. Remove from grill and wrap with foil to keep warm.

Place tortillas on the grill and cook for about 60 seconds per side, until browned and slightly crisp.

Slice fish into pieces and divide among the warm tortillas. Top with cabbage and salsa.

Nutrition Facts:

Amount Per Serving
Calories 471.3
Total Fat 5.7 g
Saturated Fat 0.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 91.2 mg
Sodium 452.3 mg
Potassium 436.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 52.2 g
Dietary Fiber 7.3 g
Sugars 14.0 g
Protein 41.0 g

appetizers, dairy free, Gluten Free, Grilling, Sauces & Dressings, Seafood (other)

25 comments »

25 Responses to “Melon Mojito Fish Tacos”

1

Emily @ A Cambridge Story — May 21, 2012 @ 10:28 am Reply

Such a beautiful and vibrant dish! I love fish tacos.
2

Dawn — May 21, 2012 @ 10:51 am Reply

Girl you totally outdid yourself with these photos. And the flavor!!! Mint! Lime! Cilantro! Cumin! All my favs. I can’t wait to try these.
3

Nicole, RD — May 21, 2012 @ 1:42 pm Reply

Oh my! The colors! Cara, these couldn’t look any more deliciosu! I made some watermelon salsa over the weekend that had honeydew in it. SO good. I got a great melon, too 🙂 Can’t wait to make these!!
4

Megan — May 21, 2012 @ 8:45 pm Reply

The colors in those tacos are definitely gorgeous… and mouthwatering! Looks like a great dish. I haven’t had barramundi in a while!
5

Joanne — May 21, 2012 @ 9:35 pm Reply

I generally choose virgin drinks over alcoholic ones as a general rule (at least on a weeknight) and people always jump to similar conclusions. I mean…seriously?

I remember when you posted about these on facebook and I fell in love! Mojitos are my favorite alcoholic beverage and honeydew is my favorite melon! These are a major win.
6

Stephanie @ Macaroni and Cheesecake — May 23, 2012 @ 12:35 am Reply

These sound so refreshing and perfect for summer. Honeydew is my favorite summer fruit and I am so excited to try this!
7

Kate — May 23, 2012 @ 1:07 am Reply

I feel like a virgin mojito would just be limeaid with mint.
- 7.1
  
  Cara — May 23, 2012 @ 8:52 am
  
  I muddle fresh limes with mint and truvia, then pour in ice and club soda.
8

Rosalie — May 23, 2012 @ 8:12 am Reply

Hi Cara! These look incredible. Colourful food really gets me too. Dinner at our house tonight was chicken nachos with blue corn chips, red cabbage slaw, corn salsa, and guacamole. Delight for the eyes and tummy!
Got this one bookmarked for next Mexican(ish) night – we love our barra here too. Thanks for sharing your recipes and inspiring others to eat well.
Peace from Sydney, Australia X
- 8.1
  
  Cara — May 23, 2012 @ 6:29 pm
  
  Hi Rosalie, thanks for the sweet words! Just wanted to say, I love your name. You don’t hear it often and it’s on our list for a hopefully-someday baby girl 🙂
9

grace — May 24, 2012 @ 4:56 am Reply

purple and green make up my favorite color combination, just for the record. this sounds marvelous, even to a person who doesn’t necessarily care for the fishes. 🙂
10

Kevin (Closet Cooking) — May 24, 2012 @ 7:21 pm Reply

Those are some really nice looking tacos!
11

Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl — May 26, 2012 @ 1:17 am Reply

Holy moly! Rum, coconut sugar, honeydew… awesome recipe! Pinned. coconut sugar… gonna need to find me some of that, for sure.
- 11.1
  
  Cara — May 26, 2012 @ 9:07 am
  
  Thanks Christine! FYI, you could substitute brown sugar or sucanat for the coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is just a natural, unrefined sweetener alternative that I happen to like, but it does not impart a coconut flavor, so you can substitute another sweetener you like without changing the taste 🙂
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12

LP @dishclips — June 13, 2012 @ 2:27 am Reply

I love the colors. Very beautiful.
- 12.1
  
  Cara — June 13, 2012 @ 9:38 am
  
  thank you so much!
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13

Marianka — January 21, 2013 @ 4:28 am Reply

Wow! Looks so beautiful and tasty, very good idea for healthy and intresting lunch:) I love it:)
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Melon Mojito Fish Tacos