Melissa Elsmo


These lovely fish tacos deliver big flavor and a healthy dose of family fun. For those of you who try to avoid eating meat on Fridays leading up to Easter this easy recipe will stave off a desperate trip through the drive through to snag a fried-fish sandwich in favor of a delicious homemade meal.

Lovely Lenten Fish Tacos (6-8 servings)

Baked Lime Cod

  • 1 ¼ pound fresh cod, cut into 4 equal pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Grapefruit Salsa

  • 2 Ruby red grapefruits, peeled and cut into sections
  • 1 Navel orange, peeled and cut into sections
  • 1 Mango, diced small
  • 1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced
  • ¼ Cup diced Red pepper
  • 1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced 1/3 Cup very thinly sliced red onion
  • ¼ teaspoon lime zest
  • The juice from ½ a lime
  • ½ Tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Cilantro Pesto

  • 1 Bunch cilantro, stems removed
  • 1 Cup roasted pepitas
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼-1/3 Cup olive oil

For Serving:

  • Shredded red cabbage
  • Lime wedges
  • Sour cream
  • Warm corn tortillas

To Make the Cod:  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a glass baking dish with non-stick spray.  Melt the butter with the lime zest, lime juice in a small sauce pan. Coat each piece of cod with the butter mixture and place in the prepared pan.  Drizzle any remaining butter over the fish and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

To Make the Grapefruit Salsa: Combine all the salsa ingredients and mix well to combine. Feel free to do this early in the day and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the Pesto: Place the cilantro leaves, pepitas, garlic and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until a coarse paste forms and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the machine running.  Use at once or transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to 2 days before using.

To Assemble the Tacos: Slather some of the cilantro pesto on a warm corn tortillas. Sprinkle with some of the shredded red cabbage and top with large flakes of the baked cod. Top the fish with some of the grapefruit salsa, a dollop of sour cream and some cilantro leaves.  Serve with lime wedges on the side.

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