Red Snapper Fajitas with Black Bean Salsa

When I moved back to Atlanta 5 years ago after college, I remember going to a Mexican restaurant on Cheshire Bridge and hearing about fish tacos.  Before then, the thought of fish tacos had never crossed my mind, but I gave them a try and loved them!  I love the simplicity and freshness that, if done right, always comes with them.   After that, all of a sudden I felt like fish tacos were popping up on every menu that I looked at - I'm not sure if I had just never noticed them before, or if indeed they are a relatively new phenomenon...regardless, they're here to stay and I've got an awesome recipe for you to try!

With it being 95 degrees every day in Atlanta for the past month or so, I have not wanted to cook - turning on the oven just makes our house hotter, and just the thought of standing over a simmering pot or pan makes me sweat!  So when John suggested fish tacos - meaning he'd do the grilling and I'd eat copious amounts of guac and drink a margarita help with the sides, I said sure!  He found the recipe for these tacos in the old faithful Weber's Big Book of Grilling, which has been used so many times that pages are torn - the sign of a good cookbook in my opinion!   The marinade for the fish had the perfect blend of citrus and heat, and the salsa was perfectly fresh - it screams summer!  We used red snapper but you could really use any flaky white fish - tilapia, mahi mahi, or even shrimp.

Red Snapper Fajitas with Black Bean Salsa

Serves 4

Recipe Source: Weber's Big Book of Grilling

Ingredients:

For the Marinade:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the salsa:

2 tomatoes, cored and diced

1 medium avocado, finely diced

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper, with or without seeds depending on how spicy you like it

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the fajitas:

flour tortillas

1 lb fresh red snapper

Directions:

For the marinade: Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Cover the fish filets with marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes - don't marinade too much longer or else you might end up with ceviche!

For the salsa: Combine the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl.  Season with more lime juice and salt if needed.  

For the fish fajitas: Remove the fillets from the bag and grill over direct heat (on high) for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the fish flakes.  (Start with the skin side down).  Remove from grill and separate into large flakes.  Heat tortillas for 30 seconds in microwave.  Assemble fajitas and top with salsa.  Serve with spanish rice and beer or a citrusy white wine like Sauvignon Blanc.