Level up leftovers with Tiffani Thiessen’s surf & turf tacos
Tiffani Thiessen published her first cookbook “Pull Up A Chair” in 2018, featuring the mouthwatering dishes that bring her family together. Now, she’s back with a second recipe collection focused on making the most of leftovers with her cookbook, “Here We Go Again.”
One such recipe is her delicious take on surf and turf. Follow the recipe below for a well-rounded meal your family will love.
Surf & Turf Tacos
Recipe by Tiffani Thiessen, featured in “Here We Go Again”
Ingredients for “surf”:
1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1⁄2 cup)
1⁄2 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 6 ounces) cooked fish, such as halibut, cod, bass, snapper, tilapia, or salmon
Ingredients for “turf”:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle in adobo
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 cups (about 6 ounces) thinly sliced cooked steak, at room temperature
Ingredients for assembly:
1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced Tuscan, curly, or red kale leaves
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil Pinch of kosher salt
8 (6- to 8-inch) yellow corn tortillas
Directions for the “surf”:
In a small bowl, toss together the onion, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Flake in the cooked fish and gently toss so the fish is evenly coated. Use immediately, or keep cold in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes while you make the other components. Season with salt to taste before serving.
Directions for the “turf”:
Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, chipotle in adobo, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn, until the garlic is fragrant and the chipotle peppers have softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they just begin to release their juices, about another 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking for another minute while the sauce comes together, then remove the pot from the heat. Add the steak and season with salt to taste.
To Assemble:
In a large bowl, toss the cabbage and kale with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Use your hands to firmly massage the greens until they’ve just started to wilt. Warm the tortillas by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 20 seconds. Alternatively, you can place them over an open flame on your stovetop or on the grill, cooking until charred and softened, about 1 minute per side. Add some of the greens to each tortilla, followed by the meat and/or fish. Serve immediately.
