Weekly Recipe: Tacos De Carnitas De Atun By El Fish Marisqueria In NYC

Is there anything better in the summer than a juicy, tangy fish taco? Whatever the season, fish tacos are an awesome go-to bite, and it’s easier to make at home than you’d think.

We don’t even care if it’s Tuesday. We just wanna chow on the delicious mix of spices, citrus and pickled watermelon radish that graces the lightly seared tuna cubes in this mouthwatering recipe from chef Julian Medina, owner of El Fish Marisqueria in New York City.

El Fish Marisqueria is a Mexican-influenced menu that focuses on seafood as a specialty, and the below recipe for Tacos de Carnitas de Atun is a serious must.

See also: 19 Of The Best Mexican Restaurants Across the U.S.

“These tacos are one of my favorite re-creations,” chef Medina says. “I’ve adapted one of my dad’s classic recipes that we used to eat growing up in Mexico. Instead of using pork, like he did, I like to use tuna. It’s lighter and fresher—perfect during the summer, especially-–but just as flavorful and delicious.”

The tuna is rubbed in chiles and served with guacamole and a homemade pickled watermelon radish, the latter of which can be made up to a day in advance, if you’d like to split up the work. There’s no need to, however, because prep should only take about 15 minutes, all told.

This recipe serves six tacos, but you and your family might want more!

Tacos de Carnitas de Atun

Ingredients:

Tuna

• 1 pound sushi quality tuna cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cayenne
• 1 tbsp ground chipotle
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Guacamole

• 1 Hass avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
• 1 tsp chopped white onion
• 1 tsp cilantro
• 1 tsp lime juice
• Salt to taste

Pickled Watermelon Radish

• 2 cups watermelon radish or breakfast radish cut in julienne
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 6 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. In a bowl, marinate the tuna with the paprika, cayenne, chipotle, oil and orange juice. Add salt to taste.
2. To pickle the radishes, bring the vinegar and water to a boil. Once boiling, add the salt and sugar, and turn off the heat. Add the julienned radish, transfer to a jar, cover and set aside. This can be prepared up to a day in advance.
3. In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the guacamole and mash the avocados gently. Season with salt to taste.
4. In a saute pan over high heat, sear the marinated tuna for a minute and set aside.
5. To assemble the tacos, heat up the corn tortillas in a skillet and place them on a platter. Add a tablespoon of guacamole and the Carnitas de Atun, and top with the pickled radish. Enjoy!

Visit El Fish Marisqueria in New York City and online for more delicious dishes and inspiration.