Recipe: Za’atar fish tacos with chunky olive and avocado salsa recipe - Polly Markus

Polly Markus' za'atar fish tacos. Photo / Josh Griggs

An inventive take on tacos from Polly Markus’ new book Seriously Delicious.

Making tacos for dinner gives you carte blanche for creativity. Although untraditional, this recipe is an absolute sensation. It easily doubles to feed a larger group, which is why it’s one of my go-tos in summer, especially when I want to make something impressive but don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen for hours on end.

Za’atar fish tacos with chunky olive and avocado salsa

Serves four to six.

Ingredients

• Six large boneless, skinless white fish fillets
• 1/4 cup corn flour
• 1/4 cup za’atar
• 1/4 red cabbage - shaved
• Olive oil
• Mini soft tortillas
• Lime wedges

Pimped sour cream ingredients

• One cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Three Tbsp pickled jalapenos
• One garlic clove
• One cup fresh parsley

Chunky olive and avocado salsa ingredients

• Two large avocados - diced
• One large cucumber - diced
• One red onion - finely diced
• 1/2 cup pitted jumbo Kalamata olives - diced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh dill

Method

1. Pat the fish dry. Cut the fillets in half. Mix the corn flour and za’atar in a bowl. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Coat the fish pieces with the za’atar mixture. Set aside.
2. To make the pimped sour cream, whizz the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Set aside in a serving ramekin.
3. To make the chunky olive and avocado salsa, gently mix the ingredients in a serving bowl. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Set aside.
4. Place the cabbage in a separate serving bowl.
5. Ready two pans on medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the base of both pans. When the oil is hot, fry the fish until golden brown on both sides.
6. While the fish is cooking, heat the tortillas as per the packet instructions.
7. Place the fish on a serving platter with the lime wedges on the side. Serve with the sour cream, salsa, cabbage and tortillas so everyone can help themselves.

Seriously Delicious by Polly Markus.

Seriously Delicious by Polly Markus ($49.99), published by Allen & Unwin.