Swordfish with Achiote and Orange

Name: Swordfish with Achiote and Orange
Yield: makes 8 tacos
Ingredients: 1/2 cup fresh orange juice; 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, toasted and ground (page 161); 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic; 1 habanero chile, seeded and chopped; 3 teaspoons achiote paste (page 149); 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, ground; 1 tablespoon lemon-infused olive oil (page 162); 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 1 Fresno chile, seeded and chopped; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 pounds boneless, skinless swordfish fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 8 (5 1/2-inch) soft white corn tortillas (page 13), for serving; Garnish: Shredded lettuce and lime wedges

January 26, 2012

An achiote rub is the classic Yucatan way of marinating fish. I tasted this rub for the first time in Isla Mujeres in the early 1970s, when you could still live on the beach in a palapa and hammock, eat great seafood, and drink cold beers for a few dollars per day. The fishermen would rub fish with an achiote-citrus paste and grill them on the beach over fires made from coconut husks. When I worked at Chez Panisse in the late 1970s, I duplicated this rub from my taste memory for some of their famous garlic festivals. The light citrus flavors of the achiote paste are a beautiful contrast to the oily texture of the swordfish. If you don’t have swordfish, use another meaty ocean fish such as wahoo or mahi mahi.

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