Fish Tacos — with a twist of fusion

These are not your everyday fish tacos! The ingredients in this tangy, sweet sauce with a hint of heat combine in a vivacious creation — perfectly fusing flavors from Latin America and Asian cuisines.

Roxanne Saldana shared this gem in “A Tradition of Good Taste and Grace,” the cookbook published in 2010 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Immaculate Conception Parish in Rice, Minnesota. She credits her friend and fellow parishioner, Kelly Pruesser, for giving her the recipe. CJK

Fish Tacos — with a twist of fusion

(Roxanne Saldana)

1 medium-size mango, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup cubed avocado

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 tbsp. chopped, seeded jalapeño pepper

1 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

3 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. honey

1 lb. fish fillets or steaks

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 lettuce leaves

4 flour tortillas

4 tsp. sweet Thai Chili sauce

Preheat gas grill (or oven, if broiling fish).

In small bowl, combine mango, avocado, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, 2 tsp. oil, lemon juice and honey and set aside.

Brush the fish with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grease rack on grill with oil or no-stick spray before placing fish on it. Grill (or broil) fish for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it flakes with a fork.

Place lettuce leaves on tortillas. Top with fish and mango mixture. Drizzle with Thai Chili sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

A note from Roxanne: The original recipe called for halibut, which is delicious, but I’ve used tilapia and several other kinds of fish, including sunfish. Any kind of fish works well. I’ve always grilled or baked the fish for these tacos but pan frying or broiling it, as suggested in the recipe, are also good options.

A note from Carol: I love fish tacos and enjoy them equally well in soft or hard shells. This recipe would also be terrific served in warmed crispy taco shells — either way I can hardly wait to try it!

Roxanne and her husband, Mark, are members of Immaculate Conception Parish in Rice.  They are the parents of two grown children, Kayla and Marcus, and grandparents to eight-month-old Carter, son of Kayla and her husband, Bill Kieke, who are also parishioners of Immaculate Conception.

Copies of “A Tradition of Good Taste and Grace” cookbooks can be ordered from the Immaculate Conception Parish office (320-393-2725) for $15, plus $5 shipping and handling.