Cilantro Lime Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Corn and Jalapeno Slaw and Roasted Jalapeno Crema

After popping a few of those grilled cilantro lime shrimp into my mouth it was time to use them in something, tacos! For these tacos I wanted to keep things nice and light and summery so I started out with a simple roasted corn slaw that I tossed in a roasted jalapeno crema followed by some cool and creamy avocado, the cilantro lime shrimp and a dollop of even more of the roasted jalapeño crema for some extra creamy heat. Although the cilantro lime shrimp would be good in just about everything, they are particularly nice in these fresh summery tacos!

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Tacos al Pastor with Pineapple Salsa Roja

Up next in my Cinco de Mayo line up is one of my favourites, tacos al pastor! Al pastor is a Mexican pork that is marinated in chilies and pineapple, layered and roasted on a vertical rotisserie similar to shawarma. Because cooking pork in this fashion is not easy for every home cook I like to use this slow cooker version that gives all of the flavours of al pastor using a method that is much easier to do at home. This recipe starts out by making a salsa with dried chilies and pineapple and it is used both to marinate the pork butt and in the final tacos. Once the pork has been marinated in the pineapple salsa it is cooked in the slow cooker until tender before being shredded to be used in the tacos. I like to keep the fillings for tacos al pastor nice and simple with the al pastor pork, onions, cilantro, grilled pineapple and the spicy pineapple salsa. Pork and pineapple is a beautiful combination and and it is simply amazing in these tacos al pastor which are definitely going to be the star at any Cinco de Mayo party!

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Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Tacos

Carnitas, a Mexican dish where the shredded pork is cooked until slightly crispy on the edges, has to be one of my favourite Mexican meat dishes! When I came across the idea of doing a lighter version with chicken on Jeanettes Healthy Living I knew that I would have to try some chicken carnitas! I pretty much took my pork carnitas recipe and used it for these chicken carnitas and I used the slow cooker to keep things nice and easy. You pretty much just mix the orange juice based cooking liquid, throw it and the chicken in the slow cooker, shred the chicken and broil it until crispy. To help ensure that the chicken stays nice and moist the cooking liquid is mixed in with the chicken before and after it broils. Of course these chicken carnitas can be used in many things like burritos, enchiladas, taquitos, etc. and my favourite way, in simple tacos with fresh diced onions, cilantro and a hit of lime!

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Chorizo and Sweet Potato Tacos with Apple and Pomegranate Salsa

Now that I had the homemade chorizo and the apple and pomegranate salsa made it was time to use them in some tacos! For these tasty winter themed tacos I started with the chorizo to which I added some chipotle roasted sweet potatoes and onions which was all topped off with the apple salsa along with some cool and creamy avocado and crumbled queso fresco. The spicy chorizo pairs perfectly with the sweet potatoes and the crispy and juicy apple salsa complements and contrasts them with flavours and textures and you rally cannot go wrong with the addition of the avocado and cheese!

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Pork Tinga Tacos

Today is national taco day! I am a huge fan of tacos and of course I have some tacos to share with you today, some tasty pork tinga tacos. Pork tinga is a Mexican style 'stew' with moist and tender shredded pork along with chorizo in a tasty chipotle tomato sauce that is just perfect for filling tacos. I like to keep my tacos nice and simple and a great place to start after adding the meat is some cilantro, onions (fresh or pickled) and a splash of lime juice. You really cannot go wrong adding some creamy avocado to cool your mouth down and cheese is almost always welcome! Once the tinga is made these tacos only take a few minutes to throw together making for one really quick, easy and tasty taco meal!

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Jerk Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa, Slaw and Pina Colada Crema

As much as I enjoy eating grilled meat right off the stick it is always fun to use it as an ingredient in another dish and as I was munching on the grilled jerk shrimp and pineapple skewers I had several ideas! The first idea was for some grilled jerk shrimp tacos with a pineapple salsa which sounded so good that I had to make it right away. In addition to the shrimp and pineapple salsa I wanted one other ingredient, a simple red cabbage slaw both for the colour and for the crunchy texture. At first I was just going to toss the cabbage in some crema for creaminess but thoughts of the Caribbean and pineapples inspired me to make a pina colada crema flavoured with pineapple, coconut and of course rum! The combo of spicy jerk shrimp, sweet and juicy pineapple salsa, crunchy cabbage and the creamy pina colada crema in these tacos is simply divine!

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Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Picadillo Tacos

Ever since the fresh corn showed up in the markets I have been enjoying a lot of it, especially combined with black beans! The other day I came across some picadillo and that made me think that a black bean and corn picadillo would be awesome! Picadillo is a ground beef dish that is popular in many Latin American countries and it varies quite a bit from region to region. The version that has always piqued my interest is one that includes salty olives and sweet raisins which add a certain exoticness to the dish. Picadillo is often served with rice and beans or used in other dishes like tacos which is where I was heading with this one. The thought that picadillo is commonly served with rice put the idea of quinoa in my mind and I could not resist adding some right into the picadillo for the boost of protean along with it's amazing texture. This picadillo certainly is packed with flavour and the creamy black bean, juicy corn, salty olive and sweet raisin combo is fantastic! With everything in this picadillo you could easily eat it by itself as a complete meal but it is so good when stuffed into corn tortillas along with some cool and creamy avocado, diced onions and a sprinkling of crumbled cotija!

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Carne Asada Tacos

Speaking of grilling, after making the carne asada a few weeks ago I have been obsessing about it and I just had to make it again. The carne asada is flank steak that is marinated in a tasty Mexican style mojo with orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro and then grilled until a perfect medium rare, or well done if you prefer. I used the last batch of carne asada that I made in a carne asada salad but I had been dreaming of carne asada tacos ever since. I hardly need an excuse to grill some steak so the carne asada tacos quickly made it to my meal plan! I kept things nice and easy to let the grilled steak shine and used a homemade pico de gallo along with some dice avocado and crumbled cotija to complete the tacos. It is always wondeerful to see such simple ingredients come together to make something so fantastically good! What a great way to enjoy some steak and to get outside and to use the grill!

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Carnitas Tacos

Carnitas, a crispy Mexican style pulled pork, can be used in a number of different dishes and sometimes simple is best, especially when you want to experience the carnitas in all their glory, and tacos fit the bill perfectly. My initial thought for tacos is almost always to simply throw some diced sweet onion and cilantro in along with the meat but carnitas and salsa verde are such a great combo that I cannot resist adding them to the mix. For carnitas tacos I very often go with the simple combination of carnitas, salsa verde, pickled red onions and the cilantro with an optional touch of crumbled cotija and this combo shows off the carnitas nicely.

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Spicy Peanut Chicken Tacos

I am kind of obsessed with tacos and I am always experimenting with different ingredients in them so when I made the slow cooker shredded spicy peanut chicken for the spicy peanut chicken rice bowls I naturally though about using it in tacos. One of the great things about tacos is how flexible they are! At their base they are of course tortillas filled with things and I sometimes like to think of them as having a main ingredient such as a meat with one or more accompanying ingredients that are there complement and contrast the main filling. Up next is a salsa or a sauce and finally some herbs and maybe a splash of lime juice to finish things off. With the meat having already been chosen for these tacos as the slow cooker shredded spicy peanut chicken and the 'salsa' as the spicy peanut sauce that left the other accompanying ingredients. I was sure that creamy avocados would go perfectly with the spicy peanut sauce and chicken and that some sweet and tangy onions would complement them all nicely. These tacos would not be complete with some Thai inspired herbs including cilantro, basil and mint and a garnish of chopped peanuts and some extra heat from some birds eye chili were a must.

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Caramelized Corn and Black Bean Tacos with Roast Zucchini Salsa and Roasted Poblano Crema

Summer is quickly coming to an end and although I looking forward to seeing all of the fall produce, I am not quite ready to let go of summer. In particular, I have really been enjoying a lot of corn on the cob and zucchini and I figure that I should get my fill of them while they are still plentiful! I had been thinking about using both the corn and zucchini combo in tacos for a while but I kept bouncing back and forth on how exactly to do it until the idea of using a zucchini salsa hit and I knew what I wanted to do. I was thinking that sweet corn and creamy black beans would make a perfect taco filling when paired with the zucchini salsa and a tasty roasted poblano crema would finish the tacos off nicely along with some crumbled cotija cheese.

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Blackened Catfish Tacos

I have had tacos on the brain a lot these days and I had another idea that I just could not contain; blackened catfish tacos with remoulade sauce. I was thinking about southern flavours like blackend fish and po'boys along with tacos and combining the three of them to create something new and wonderful. To cook fish blackened style, you rub it with spices, commonly a cajun/creole spice blend, and then sear it briefly at high heat until the outside just starts to char and blacken giving it a slight crispness while the inside is still perfectly moist and tender. I was taken by blackened fish the first time that I had it and I was thinking that it would be perfect in some fish tacos! Instead of using a salsa I figured that a remoulade sauce would keep the theme going nicely and since I most commonly have remoulade sauce in po'boy's and po'boys are commonly filled with lettuce and tomatoes so I filled the tacos out with lettuce and a quick pico de gallo. Heat is an essential component to tacos and without the salsa they needed some so I provided it with plenty of dashes of hot sauce to finish the tacos off!

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Calamari Tacos with Salsa Naranja

Now that I had a fresh batch of the salsa naranja or orange salsa it was time to use it in something and first up was some calamari tacos inspired by Kogi BBQ. Up until I heard about these tacos, I had never even thought about using calamari in tacos and I was immediately enchanted by the idea! The calamari is marinated in a citrus, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili powder marinade before being quickly seared at high heat to cook them without turning them rubbery. The tacos are then assembled in corn tortillas with an onion and cilantro relish, a healthy helping of the sweet and spicy orange salsa along with some more sesame seeds and cilantro for garnish. I was a bit surprised by how well the calamari worked in these fresh and tasty tacos and I can easily see them quickly becoming a summer favourite!

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Chorizo Scrambled Eggs Breakfast Tacos

Often times weekday breakfasts are rushed and thus pretty simple so on the weekend I like to do something a little more. As many of my long time readers know, I have a thing for tacos and I was thinking that a scrambled egg taco would be a great way to do something a little special for breakfast this weekend. I formed the base of the breakfast tacos with Mexican chorizo, a fresh pork sausage seasoned with plenty of chilies, which I fried and then added eggs and cooked them scrambled style. The chorizo scrambled eggs (chorizo con huevos) along with the tortillas form the base of the tacos and from there you can add your favourite tacos fillings and this time I went with refried beans, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro and lime. These chorizo scrambled egg tacos are really easy to prepare and they make for a fun and tasty breakfast for the entire family!

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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Swiss Chard Pesto

Sweet potato and black beans is an amazing flavour combination especially when seasoned with chilies for a Mexican style dish so I could not resist using the swiss chard pesto is some sweet potato and black bean tacos as inspired by Bev Cooks. The sweet potatoes are tossed in some smoky chipotle chili powder along with some cumin and then roasted until nice and tender and for the beans I went with a slight modification of my refried beans recipe where I used black beans instead of pinto beans and I did not mash them after cooking them. Once the sweet potatoes and beans were done all that remains is to place them into some tortillas and top them with the swiss chard pesto, some cool and creamy avocados and crumbled queso fresco. These sweet potato and black bean tacos with swiss chard salsa are so tasty and fulfilling that you will not not be missing the meat and it will be hard to resist going back for seconds!

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Cilantro and Lime Fish Tacos

Another thing that I often think about when I am trying to eat lighter is seafood and one of my goals is to try to include fish in my diet more often. These fish tacos that have been on my mind for a while now and they were the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone so to say. I certainly was not going to let the fact that it is the middle of winter stop me from doing some grilling, not when it is easy enough to pull out my trusty grilling pan. The grilling pan might not give that smoky flavour of a real grill but it is great way to cast back a bit of winter's gloom by using it to make a summery dish!

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Cochinita Pibil Tacos

Given my obsession with tacos, they were the first thing on my list to try out my fresh batch of cochinita pibil. I decided to keep things nice and simple and I went with some freshly homemade Mexican pickled red onions a super hot roasted habanero salsa, some queso fresco and some cilantro. Just like the cochinita pibil was marinated in sour orange juice so to were the Mexican pickled red onions which added an amazing freshness to the tacos with the help of the cilantro. Since the marinade for the cochinita pibil did not have any chili heat in it I needed a spicy salsa to bring in some heat and I figured that habanero salsa would do the job perfectly well. If you want some help taming the heat of the habanero salsa, some creamy refried beans would fit the bill and make an excellent addition to these tacos.

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Salmon Bulgogi Tacos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa

Although snacking on the blueberry and basil habanero with tortilla chips was perfectly satisfying, I wanted to do something more with the salsa. My obsession with tacos surfaced at this point and I could not shake the idea! The only question was what goes with blueberries in savoury tacos? After thinking about it for a while I narrowed my choices down to shredded buffalo and salmon as both sounded like they would pair nicely with the blueberry salsa. The slow roasted and shredded buffalo was sounding good but the salmon was calling my name and it was a perfect way to get some more fish into my meal plan which is always one of my goals. As for how to cook the salmon, my mind immediately jumped to salmon bulgogi which would complement the hints of Asian flavours in the blueberry salsa, though teriyaki salmon was a close second thought. I finished the tacos of with zucchini ribbons, queso freso and some sprouts for garnish.

I have to say that the salmon bulgogi tacos with blueberry salsa turned out phenomenally well! The The blueberry and salmon combo was amazing and the tasty bulgogi marinade brought everything together perfectly.

Salmon Bulgogi Tacos with Blueberry Habanero Salsa

Soft and creamy salmon marinated in a sweet and spicy Korean bulgogi marinade served in tacos with a blueberry and basil habanero salsa.

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 small corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 pound salmon bulgogi, warm and flaked
• 1 cup blueberry and basil habanero
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 ounce queso fresco, crumbled (optional)
• 1 handful sprouts, optional

Directions

1. Assemble tacos and enjoy.

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Duck Tacos with Chipotle Cherry Salsa and Crumbled Goat Cheese
Mojito Grilled Fish Tacos with Strawberry Salsa
Chicken Mole Tacos
Chipotle Lime Fish Tacos
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Duck Tacos with Chipotle Cherry Salsa and Goat Cheese

When I was growing up taco night made a regular appearance in our dinner rotation and taco night always meant ground beef, packet seasoning, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream and tortillas. It was not until later that I realized that the world of tacos was so much bigger and since then I have been kind of obsessed with them. Gone ore the days of the boring plain old tacos as I joyfully experiment with new kinds of tacos. It is with that in mind that I present to you my latest creation, the duck breast tacos with chipotle cherry salsa and goat cheese.

Not too long ago I made a strawberry salsa and I particularly enjoyed how the strawberries worked in a savoury salsa. Ever since I have been thinking about different ways to use fruits and berries to make salsas. Cherries are in season now and so far I had simply been snacking on copious amounts of them. It was finally time to use them in a recipe and one of the first things that came to mind was to use them in a salsa. You know me; I was not going to just make a salsa and leave it at that, I had to use the salsa in something and my obsession with tacos rose its head and I had the rough outline of a plan.



The first question that came to mind was, what meat to use in the tacos? At this point I recalled having seen several recipes for duck breasts served in a cherry sauce and since I had never cooked duck before that immediately made up my mind. With duck chosen as the meet I had a better idea about how I wanted to make the salsa and I quickly fleshed out the recipe by adding fresh basil and a touch of balsamic vinegar to a basic salsa recipe. For the heat I decided to go with chipotle chilies in adobo to add a bit of smokiness to the party. I also decided to puree the salsa to make it more like a sauce. The tacos were almost done and I only needed to round things out by adding some vegetables and some cheese and I went with shredded cabbage tossed lightly in sour cream and creamy goat cheese.



The duck breast tacos with chipotle cherry salsa and goat cheese turned out amazingly well! I really enjoyed how the duck cooked and with most of the fat rendered from beneath the skin, the skin became almost like a crispy, tasty bacon wrapping. All of the flavours in the tacos played wonderfully with each other from the magical duck and cherry combo to the balsamic vinegar to the smoky chipotle heat to the creamy and tangy goat cheese which finished the whole thing off perfectly! I certainly am looking forward to enjoying the leftovers!

Duck Tacos with Chipotle Cherry Salsa and Crumbled Goat Cheese

Duck breast tacos with a chipotle cherry salsa, cabbage and creamy goat cheese.

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound duck breast
• 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
• 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
• 2 cups chipotle cherry salsa (see below)
• 12 small corn tortillas, lightly toasted
• 2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced and tossed in 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbed
• cress sprouts for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Score the skin and fat of the duck breast with a knife trying to cut all the through the fat without cutting into the meat.
2. Mix the chipotle chili powder, cumin and salt and rub it into the skin side of the duck breast then cover it and let it sit in the fridge for 20 minutes to over night.
3. Heat an oven proof pan over medium heat.
4. Place the duck breast into the pan, skin side down and let it cook until the fat has rendered, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Place the pan into a preheated 400F oven for 8 minutes.
6. Remove and set the duck breast aside and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
7. Drain the excess fat from the pan, add the salsa, deglaze the pan and simmer to remove any excess liquid.
8. Assemble the tacos and enjoy.

Chipotle Cherry Salsa

A savoury cherry salsa with the heat and smokiness of chipotle chillies, the freshness of basil and the subtle hint of balsamic vinegar.

Servings: makes 2 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups cherries, pitted
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo or to taste, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1 small clove garlic, grated
• 1 handful basil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Puree everything in a food processor until smooth.
2. Simmer the salsa to remove excess liquid. (Optional: This salsa is great fresh but if you are going to use it in something like tacos you will want to simmer it a bit to remover the excess liquid.)

Use the leftover in:
Duck Quesadillas with Chipotle Cherry Salsa and Goat Cheese

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Mojito Grilled Fish Tacos with Strawberry Salsa
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Mojito Grilled Fish Tacos with Strawberry Salsa

After enjoying snacking on the strawberry and avocado salsa I knew that I wanted to try using it in something and of course tacos were on my mind. I figured that white fish tacos would be perfect but I did not think that my staple fish tacos, the chipotle lime fish tacos were quite the right fit. My next choice was some cilantro lime fish tacos but I wanted to try something a little different. After contemplating for a while and my mind wandered and I found myself thinking about how good a nice cool and refreshing strawberry mojito would be. With that thought, inspiration struck and mojito fish tacos it was!



I have used alcohol in marinades and sauces before such as in my favourite tequila lime shrimp or the tequila lime grilled chicken so pulling out the rum for the marinade for fish tacos was not a stretch. With the mojito theme in mind the base of the marinade seemed obvious starting with the lime, rum and mint. From there I continued to build up some flavour with garlic, cumin, green onions and cilantro and I finished things off with a touch of heat from some jalapeno peppers.



After marinating the fish, it simply needs to be thrown onto the grill for a few minutes to cook and then it is broken up a bit before assembling the tacos. Since the strawberry and avocado salsa was already packed with flavour I kept the toppings simple and I only really added some crumbled queso fresco, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The mojito grilled fish was really tasty and the flavours worked well in taco form with the strawberry salsa. What a perfect way to enjoy strawberry season! Despite the fact that I immensely enjoyed the strawberry salsa, I am absolutely sure that the mojito grilled fish would be perfect in tacos with pretty much any toppings. I definitely will be keeping this recipe close at hand!

Mojito Grilled Fish Tacos with Strawberry Salsa

Grilled fish tacos marinated in a mojito inspired marinade with lime, mint and rum served with a summery strawberry and avocado salsa.

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound white fish such as tilapia, cod, etc.
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• 2 tablespoons rum (optional)
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• 1 handful mint, chopped
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 (4 inch) tortillas
• 2 cups strawberry and avocado salsa
• 1/2 cup queso fresco or feta, crumbled
• 1 handful cilantro

Directions

1. Marinate the fish in the oil, lime juice and zest, rum, jalapeno, garlic, green onion, mint, cumin, salt and pepper for 10-20 minutes.
2. Grill the fish over medium-high heat until cooked, about 4-6 minutes per side. The fish will be cooked when it flakes easily and it is no longer translucent.
3. Flake the fish and serve in tortillas garnished with strawberry and avocado salsa, crumbled cheese and cilantro or your favourite taco toppings.

Enjoy with a
Mojito

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