What's for dinner? Easy homemade Alaskan cod and smashed avocado tacos
If you're searching the internet and wondering what to cook for dinner, especially if you observe Lent and practice not eating meat or just want a new seafood recipe, the answer just got easier.
"Good Morning America" is taking the legwork out of dinnertime and helping you find delicious dishes to easily whip up any night of the week.
Gaby Dalkin, cookbook author, chef and creator of What’s Gaby Cooking, is constantly whipping up delicious dishes and having fun with easy weeknight meals.
Dalkin, who has an array of approachable recipes that highlight local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients, shared the dish below that uses fresh, wild-caught Alaskan cod as well as her best hacks to ensure it's cooked perfectly every time.
Here are Dalkin's top tips to get the perfect flake and to know when the fish is properly cooked.
"Start with Alaska whitefish, like cod, halibut, rockfish, sole or pollock," she said. Pat it dry and season the filet, then cook for a few minutes on each side in the tiniest bit of oil. Dalkin's key to the proper technique is "do not flip" until the fish releases from the pan, then cook for a few moments on the other side.
"You should be able to see the flakes naturally start to separate before taking it out of the pan," she said, adding that it creates "perfectly flaked fish that you can use for fish tacos or any number of other recipes."
Another pro tip is to only use a dash of oil to help prevent splattering on your stovetop. She said not only does it make for easier clean-up, "but you also don’t risk your kitchen smelling fishy because of large splatters that can typically form when you pan-sear.
Smashed Avocado Alaska Cod Tacos
Ingredients
For the Fish
2 tablespoons seasoning of your choice
1 pound Alaska cod
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 small flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt and lime wedges to season
For the Smashed Avocados
2 ripe avocados, diced
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Fresh lime juice to taste
Instructions
Sprinkle the seasoning all over the Alaska cod along with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and let it stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a pan or grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper and cook, flipping halfway until easily flaked. About 6-8 minutes total. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the cooked fish and set aside.
While the fish is cooking, combine the diced avocado and chives in a small bowl and smash to combine. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice.
Char the tortillas on both sides over an open flame.
Gently break the fish into large chunks. Evenly distribute the smashed avocado on each tortilla and top with large flakes of the fish. Serve with hot sauce on top, extra cilantro and limes on the side.
Recipe reprinted courtesy of Gaby Dalkin.
