Paige Harris Light and refreshing with a salty and acidic bite, these mahi mahi & watermelon tacos will satisfy all of your summer cravings!
When summer comes around, do you immediately think of your favorite, most refreshing summer dish? I know I do. It’s from a restaurant in Shirlington, VA: Grilled watermelon slices topped with melty halloumi cheese, fresh mint, and a drizzle of sweet pomegranate reduction. Ahh, pure bliss.
I was dreaming about it a few weeks back but was unsure how to turn it into something more substantial. However, once I mentioned it to Jordan, we were able to come up with a concept after only a few minutes of brainstorming. (He’s responsible for the name, of course. He’s definitely the funny one in this relationship.)
It needed a protein, of course, and we wanted something light. Mahi mahi was one of the first fishes my mom convinced me to try as a kid. It will always hold a special place in my heart (and in my stomach)! It doesn’t have a super strong fishy flavor, and bakes up all nice and flaky from frozen! Perfection!
Watermelon pairs perfectly with firm jicama and acidic lime to create a simple, refreshing salsa that will surely amaze. Adding in a few cracks of fresh sea salt brings the flavors to a new level, too!
A strip or two of halloumi, a semi-hard brined cheese, ups the saltiness even further and really makes you think of the sea. A sweet balsamic bite rounds out this dish and makes it the perfect quick summer-weeknight recipe!
If you don’t want to make this into tacos, the ingredients would also pair well served over a bowl of steamy cilantro rice. I think that’s how I’m going to try it next time!
What’s your favorite summertime food? Let me know in the comments below, or shoot me an email!
Fish Out of Water(melon) Tacos
Light and refreshing with a salty bite, these tacos will satisfy all of your summer cravings!
Ingredients
For the fish:
- 4 frozen mahi mahi fillets
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 2 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice
- Fresh ground sea salt to taste
For the salsa:
- 16 ounces watermelon diced
- 9.5 ounces jicama diced
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- Fresh ground sea salt to taste
For the glaze:
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
Extras:
- 7 ounces halloumi sliced
- 12 corn tortillas
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450F. Place the frozen mahi mahi fillets on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and lime juice. Sprinkle with dried rosemary and thyme, and finish with a crack of salt. Place in the oven and bake until hot and flaky in the center, about 12-15 minutes.
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While the fish is cooking, pour the balsamic vinegar into a small pot and bring to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer until the volume has decreased by about half, about 10 minutes. Once reduced, remove from heat! If you leave for too long, it will begin to turn to caramel!
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In a pan over medium-high heat, fry the sliced halloumi until golden brown on each side. You do not need to add oil to the pan!
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While everything is coming together, chop up the watermelon and jicama and place in a large bowl. Add lime juice and toss. Add sea salt to taste.
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Once all of the components are cooked, wrap your stack of corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Do not skip this step! Heating the tortillas helps them stay nice and pliable so they don’t break on you!
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Assemble! Place some halloumi and mahi mahi at the bottom of each tortilla, top with salsa, and drizzle with balsamic to finish. Garnish with additional lime juice and sea salt as needed.
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Enjoy!
