What makes these Lemon Caper Fish Tacos so exquisite is the warm blistered tomatoes, combined with lemon zest and capers, that top the fish.
How do you make some days special?
That’s something I think about in relation to my kids. We’re all so busy, so when there’s time for one-on-one adventures, I take advantage of it. And that’s what happened when I was working on my upcoming cookbook, Easy Frugal Cookbook.
It was December — arguably our busiest month of the year. My daughter was on the road with The Nutcracker. My son didn’t have practice or a meet. So I whipped up a special lunch that I knew he would love (and that I had planned for the cookbook).
Lemon Caper Fish Tacos with Blistered Tomatoes and Avocado were every bit as special as I thought they would be. Tender, warm seasoned fish. Meaty, juicy burst tomatoes. Briny capers. Creamy avocado. And a squirt of lemon.
Delightful.
This fish tacos recipe is special to me because of the circumstances of its creation. But it’s also special to me because it’s one of those frugal recipes that shows good, flavorful, fancy-feeling food doesn’t have to be expensive. You can celebrate big without hurting the budget.
This recipe is listed as a $$ recipe ($10 or less), and that’s accurate. But with smart purchases — such as making it when fish and avocados are on sale — it can be made for even less.
You can find this recipe in the Poultry & Seafood section of my newest cookbook, Easy Frugal Cookbook. You’ll love this book full of 100 recipes with 10 ingredients or less created with budgets in mind.
Easy Frugal Cookbook will be released by Rockridge Press on July 7, but you can preorder your copy now. And friends, preordering helps so much because it signals to the internet gods that people are interested in this book — leading to even more orders. So I super appreciate everyone who does so.
Lemon Caper Fish Tacos with Blistered Tomatoes and Avocado
On a rare afternoon when just my son and I were home, I whipped
up a batch of these fish tacos for lunch. When you plate these tacos, they feel
special — layered with flavors and textures. But really, these are easy to make
and cook quickly. What makes them so exquisite though are the warm blistered
tomatoes, combined with lemon zest and capers, that top the fish. YUM. If you
really love avocado, it’s totally okay to double the amount.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. halibut fillets
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
- Cooking oil spray
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon capers
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil spray. Arrange the halibut fillets on one side of the baking sheet. Pile the tomatoes on the other side. Spray all with cooking oil spray and season with salt and pepper.
- Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 12-16 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and the fillets are opaque in color.
- When the tomatoes and fish are done, heat the tortillas in a dry skillet set over medium heat (about 10 seconds per side). Arrange three tortillas on each of four plates.
- Using a fork, break the halibut into large (about 1-inch) chunks. Divide the halibut evenly among the tortillas. Top each with tomatoes, dividing them evenly among the tacos.
- Grate lemon zest over all the tacos. Then cut the lemon into 8 wedges. Set aside.
- Sprinkle capers on the tacos and finish off with avocado.
- Serve each plate with two wedges of lemon. Enjoy.
Notes
Budget Trick: If halibut is pricey, other firm white fish like cod, flounder or sole can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
Kate
Friday 12th of June 2020
I'm aaaaalllll about making things special.