coffee-and-spice-rubbed salmon tacos with charred cabbage, mango salsa, and avocado cream

Salmon Variety: Coho, Sockeye, and King I know, I know. It’s so stereotypical. A chef in Seattle combines iconic Pacif i c Northwest salmon with our city’s biggest beverage cliché. But don’t let the predictability stop you from trying this recipe because: a) I didn’t make you use Starbucks beans, and b) these tacos are really, really good. You’ll have leftover coffee rub, so you can save it for a rainy day. See what I did there?

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

To make the avocado cream, combine the avocado, yogurt, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and Tabasco in a blender.

Step 2

Blend until the mixture is a smooth puree. Season to taste with more lime juice and salt, if desired.

Step 3

To make the spice mixture, grind the coffee beans, coriander seeds, chile powder, brown sugar, cumin seeds, and 1½ teaspoons of the salt to a fi ne powder in a spice grinder. Coat the salmon on the fl esh side only with half of the spice mixture and set aside while you prepare the salsa.(Save the other half of the spice mixture for another day.) Char the serranos until blackened over a gas fl ame (thread a metal skewer through each end to help hold them fl at) or under the broiler, then mince them. Place in a medium bowl with the mango, cilantro, garlic, coconut oil, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Mix well and adjust seasoning to taste.

Step 4

Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil to the pan, or brush some oil on the grill and the salmon if you are grilling. Cook the salmon, skin side up, for 30 seconds only, to keep the spices from burning. Flip the salmon over and cook, skin side down, until the skin is crisp and a thermometer measures 120°F. Transfer the salmon to a plate, gently pull off the skin, and set it aside on a cooling rack.

Step 5

Add the cabbage and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to the pan and sear over high heat until the cabbage is charred, about 5 minutes total. (Alternatively, you could grill oiled cabbage leaves and then chop after charring.) Transfer to a medium bowl. Heat the tortillas in the pan until they soften, about 1 minute per side. Chop the salmon skin into bite-size pieces and break the salmon into chunks.

Step 6

Serve the tacos immediately, layering the tortillas with avocado cream, salmon, cabbage, mango salsa, and salmon skin chips.*Go to GoodFishBook.com for a demonstration of how to remove pin bones from a fi llet.