Though my winter boots squeak through the snow with satisfying crunches, the fireplace keeps us warm at night, and the days are just long enough to enjoy the final slanting rays of sunlight in the early evening, February can seem like the longest month of the year, despite its brevity. Couple this with the growing percentage of my Facebook feed being occupied by pictures of people’s toes in the sand and hotel hand towels folded into various and sundry wildlife, and I’ve found myself in need of a bit of an intervention.
I whipped up these tacos on a whim one night, with nothing for inspiration but a can of pineapple that was languishing in my pantry and the knowledge that my wee girl loves fish and anything wrapped in a tortilla. They were juicy and bright and zippy and crunchy in all the right ways, awakening palates that have become somewhat inured, now, to months of sweetly tender roasted root vegetables.
These tacos come enthusiastically approved from my kitchen to yours, where they necessitated the purchase of yet another can of crushed pineapple so that we could make them again within the span of the week.
Enjoy!


- 2-3 large fillets of white fish (I used cod)
- 1 egg
- Splash of milk
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
- Pinch chipotle powder
- Dash paprika
- Twist of freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil, for sautéing
- 1 can crushed pineapple, drained of its' juice
- 1/2 small onion, diced finely
- 1/2 cup/large handful cilantro, chiffonade
- Pinch salt
- Equal parts mayonnaise and sweet chill sauce, depending on how many you are serving
- Before preparing the fish, mix together the sweet chill mayo, and combine the ingredients for the cilantro pineapple salsa in a small bowl.
- If you are using homemade tortillas, now's the time to make them too. This is my go-to recipe for homemade tortillas: https://www.purplehousecafe.com/2013/03/26/quick-and-easy-homemade-tortillas/
- Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Crack the egg and pour the milk into one wide bowl. In another bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour and spices.
- Splash a good glug of olive oil in a large frying pan and heat on medium-high until the oil is shimmering. Dredge the fish in the egg and milk mixture first, then the flour mixture, ensuring it is thoroughly coated. Place the fish in the hot frying pan and cook until the coating has browned. Flip, and brown the opposite side.
- Place the cooked fish on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Assemble your tacos with some of the fish, salsa, sweet chill mayo, and any other toppings you wish.
Beautiful dish. Looks so fresh!
Thanks Cheri! These were delicious!
Just made these for Valentine’s Day! They were sooooo good. Thank you! We had a lot of extra breading but will definitely be making this again.
So glad you enjoyed them!
These photos are EPIC.
Thanks Movita! I’m starting to get the hang of it, I think!