Halibut Soft Tacos

There are quite a few components to these tacos, but I promise that they're worth it and each part is simple. The end result is a wonderfully light and fresh tasting taco with just enough textural contrast to keep it interesting. If you don't already have cooked halibut on hand, roast at 375F for 10 minutes per inch (so 5 minutes if your fish is half an inch thick).

Two years ago: General Tso's Chicken
Three years ago: Zucchini and Goat Cheese Galette

Halibut Soft Tacos (from Big Small Plates)

Ingredients
Vinaigrette
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tacos
2 - 2.5 cups flaked cooked halibut (12 ounces)
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 scallion, white and light green parts, minced
1/2 cup minced celery leaves and stalks
1/4 cup chopped green olives (optional)
1 cup arugula
1 cup cilantro leaves
6 corn tortillas
1/2 - 1 cup tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup yogurt
1/2 cup goat cheeese
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. To make vinaigrette, combine lime juice, mustard, cumin, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified.
2. To make taco filling, combine fish, 2 tbsp of vinaigrette, mayo, scallion, celery, and olives in bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together arugula and cilantro. Toss with vinaigrette.
4. Heat tortillas until warm and softened. Spoon layer of fish on tortillas, sprinkle with salsa. Top with mound of greens and drizzle of yogurt. Finish with a crumble of cheese and a slice or two of avocado. Serve with lime wedges.

Ground Beef Tacos

I feel a bit odd posting such a simple recipe, but I think this one's an improvement over just using a taco seasoning mix. The flavours remind me of home.

One year ago: Pork Tenderloin Drenched with an Onion Sauce
Two years ago: Dan Dan Mian
Three years ago: Baked Ziti with Goat Cheese and Olives

Ground Beef Tacos (from The Tex-Mex Cookbook)

Ingredients
Filling
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1 garlic clove, minced
1 serrano chile, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
For tacos
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar or monterey jack
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
1 1/2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
6 fried taco shells (or soft corn tortillas)

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook onion until it begins to wilt, 2 minutes.
2. Add meat and sear, chopping with spatula until pink color is gone.
3. Add garlic and chile and cook for 2 minutes or until garlic is soft.
4. Add salt, chili powder, black pepper, cumin, and 1 tbsp water. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until well blended.
5. Assemble tacos and eat.

Breakfast Tacos

When I lived in Austin, the office manager at my work got me hooked on breakfast tacos when she started bringing breakfast to us on Fridays.  Breakfast tacos are one of the most perfect ways to do breakfast.  You can put anything you want in them - eggs, beans, potatoes, meat, cheese, and of course salsa.  They come in an easy to eat format ... a tortilla usually wrapped in foil, perfect for on the go.  And in Austin, you can find them on practically every corner and they're cheap!  There's a recipe below, but really, they're however you want to make them ... that's the beauty.

Breakfast Tacos from Homesick Texan

Ingredients

 4 eggs
1/4 cup of milk or half-and-half (does anyone even know what half&half is called in Montreal?)
4 slices of bacon, or 4 sausage patties or 1 cup of chorizo
1 cup of refried beans, heated
1/2 cup of salsa
1 cup of shredded Longhorn cheddar (mild to medium)
4 flour tortillas
1 tablespoon of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Whisk eggs with milk.
2. Heat up iron skillet on medium-high, and melt tablespoon of butter.
3. When butter is melted, pour in eggs and scramble for about three minutes or until done to your liking. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat up your flour tortillas either on a skillet, or by laying them on top of a gas burner. When tortilla starts to puff (about 20 seconds) turn it over and cook for another 20 seconds.
5. Take a tortilla and spread 1/4 cup of refried beans in the center of the tortilla. Add 1/4 of the scrambled eggs, 1/8 cup of salsa, 1/4 cup of cheese and either a slice of bacon or sausage patty.
6. Fold in bottom 1 inch of the tortilla, and then roll from left to right until self-contained.