Moroccan Spiced Fish Tacos with Mediterranean Salad

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Jenny

Over winter break I had the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Morocco. It was a life-changing, adventure-packed, eye-opening trip to say the least. Morocco is a country that overwhelms the senses and leaves its mark on your heart.

Prior to my departure I had heard that the food was delicious, but nothing could have prepared me for the fusion of flavors that awaited me. While in Marrakesh I haggled my way to several neatly tied sandwich baggies full of spices and was sure to grab one for our Research and Development team here at the factory. Now that I’m home, I miss the spicy-sweet combinations of cinnamon, cardamom, cumin and chili powder, and the tangy combinations of ginger and cilantro that only Moroccan cuisine can satisfy.

Driven by my craving, and together with the culinary team at the factory, we created these delicious Moroccan Spiced Fish Tacos with Mediterranean Salad. The recipe calls for harissa, a popular North African chili powder or paste, made from a variety of chili peppers and spices including garlic, coriander seed and caraway. You can buy harissa at Middle Eastern markets or at specialty grocery stores in the bulk section. If you’d like to use a less fatty fish, substitute halibut or tilapia in lieu of the salmon – the results will be just as flavorful.

It’s fun to experiment with new spices and in this case, the results are delicious heart healthy tacos bursting with freshness and vibrant flavors I guarantee you’ll love. Take a peek at a few of my photos from the trip and get the complete recipe below.

-Jenny

A spice market in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Breakfast on the terrace of our riad or hotel, overlooking the ancient city of Fez.

The trip would not have been complete without a camel ride!

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Mediterranean Salad

4 medium tomatoes, seeds removed, diced

2 cucumbers, seeds removed, diced

1 white onion, diced

4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves removed, minced

3 medium lemons, juiced, saving one for the blended dressing

3 sprigs flat leaf parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Fish

2 pounds wild king salmon fillet, skinned and deboned

1/2 cup harissa powder

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons of olive oil for searing

Remaining Ingredients

8 ounce container of plain hummus

2 packages of La Tortilla Factory Hand Made Style Tortillas, Yellow or White Corn

1 small head of red cabbage, shredded

Garnish ideas: Greek yogurt

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, oregano and the juice of two lemons. In a blender or bowl, blend or whisk the juice of one lemon, parsley, garlic, wine vinegar, olive oil and salt; feel free to add more olive oil or vinegar to your preferred taste and consistency. Add the dressing to the salad, sprinkle with feta cheese, toss and set aside.

Line two cookie sheets with foil (for easy clean-up). Generously salt the salmon and cut it into evenly sized pieces that are easy to flip with a spatula. Place the cut fillets on to one of the cookie sheets. Coat fillets with harissa powder on both sides. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan and sear each piece for 5-7 minutes on each side until blackened, placing the finished pieces on to the other cookie sheet. The inside should be light pink, but not raw in the middle. If the inside of the salmon is too raw, you can finish them off in the oven for a few minutes at 350 degrees. Let salmon rest a few minutes before lightly breaking it apart with a fork.

Heat tortillas on an open gas flame, flipping once or twice to warm and soften, working towards slight burn marks on both sides; or warm tortillas on both sides on a hot skillet. Wrap tortillas in a kitchen cloth to keep from getting cold. To build your taco, place a tortilla on a flat work surface and smear with hummus; top with salmon chunks, shredded cabbage, Mediterranean salad and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Fold in half and love!

Number of Servings: 6

Per Taco:

Calories: 300 | Total fat: 14 grams | Total carbohydrates: 22 grams | Dietary fiber: 3 grams | Protein: 22 grams