Andouille Chicken Sausage Tacos with Mango Pineapple Salsa

These incredible Andouille Chicken Sausage Tacos with Mango Pineapple Salsa can be on your dinner table less than 15 minutes from now. True story.

That is, assuming you already have the ingredients in your fridge. If not, pull out this week's grocery list, because I've got a few things you're going to want to add to it!

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One-Pot Spicy Pineapple Chicken Tacos

Work has been bringing me all over the country lately, which is great, but it also means being away from home for stretches of days at a time. Eugene is generally pretty good about sorting out meals while I'm gone, but I do like to try and make it a little bit easier by leaving a few simple things behind that he can easily heat up or at least use as the base for several meals.

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Mini Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Cumin Sour Cream

These adorable mini two-bite tacos are the perfect appetizer to serve at a party (gameday or otherwise!).

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Spicy Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Mayo

The first time I tried fish tacos was on my honeymoon in Vieques, Puerto Rico. Vieques is a small, mostly virgin and unsettled island located about a 2-hour ferry ride (or 15-minute flight) away from the main island.  We spent two weeks of our honeymoon there, eating picnics on the stunning empty beaches and enjoying dinner at a few of the small casual restaurants located in the tiny main part of town.

The menus were simple, but the food was always wonderful, and my favorite thing were the fish tacos. Fried pieces of local fish served with a cumin-spiked mayonnaise, diced cabbage and a big shower of lime. Just a few ingredients, but it was the spices and quality of fish that made it all so incredibly good. After the fourth or fifth time ordering them, my husband asked if perhaps wanted to try something else.

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Spicy Chipotle Salmon Tacos

It's been at least two months since my last taco recipe so we are WAY overdue, friends.

This time around it's all about these spicy Chipotle Salmon Tacos with an easy Cumin-Lime Mayo sauce.

Salmon is already packed with tons of great flavor, so you really only need a few other simple ingredients to pull these together in record time.

They're an ideal weeknight meal, or great for a lazy weekend when you have mouths to feed, but not much motivation.

You start out by prepping the salmon. I like to get a big gorgeous piece of wild salmon as it's the best in terms of flavor and nutrition, but definitely pick your favorite kind.

I pat it dry then brush with the adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo.

I literally just scoop out a few spoonfuls of it straight from the can to the fish and brush it on evenly. Sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, and some oregano, and you're done!

Pop this under the broiler for about 7 minutes. (You can also bake it in a hot oven for about 15 minutes, or cook it on a grill.)

Let it cool slightly then use a fork to flake it into large chunks.

The sauce is just mayo with some fresh lime juice and cumin, whisked together.

Do NOT forget to warm up the tortillas on a hot skillet or right over the flame. Don't just use tortillas straight out of the package--that's like eating a hot dog straight out of the package. It's cooked, technically, but...it's just not ready to eat, yet.

The rest people can do themselves!

Serve the salmon with the sauce and tortillas and your favorite toppings. I keep it simple with sliced radishes and cilantro. Chopped onions, avocado, cabbage slaw or any other number of classic taco toppings would work here, too.

Taco perfection!


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Loved this recipe? Here are three other taco recipes you might like:

• Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Pico de Gallo
• Ancho Pomegranate Pulled Brisket Tacos
• Chimichurri Fish Tacos

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading!

Chipotle Salmon Tacos
 Serves 4

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds wild salmon fillets
1 can chipotles in adobo sauce
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Corn tortillas, for serving
Fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, limes, and other toppings for garnish

Directions
Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and place salmon fillets on top.

Spoon out three tablespoons of adobo sauce from chipotles (reserve the peppers for another use). Brush sauce over the top and sides of the salmon.

Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and oregano. Broil about 6" away from broiler for about 7-10 minutes or until cooked to desired doneness.

While the salmon cooks, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice and cumin.

Remove salmon from oven and let cool slightly while you heat tortillas on a skillet or over a gas burner.

Use a fork to flake salmon into chunks.

To assemble tacos, spread warm tortillas with mayo sauce and top with salmon and desired toppings. Eat immediately.

 

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Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Pico de Gallo

The first few days of summer weather were the inspiration behind these spicy Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Pico de Gallo.

Quick and easy shrimp tacos are a go-to meal on those glorious long days when all you want to do is lounge around or be outside as much as possible.

Because summer is all about things that are easy.

The shrimp marinate in just a few minutes while you prepare the simple watermelon pico de gallo (helping yourself to several bites of cold sweet watermelon along the way).

And then all you have to do is cook the shrimp and assemble the tacos!

Or, better yet...just serve everything in individual bowls and let your family or guests make their own tacos! Everyone loves DIY tacos!

You're...um..."encouraging creativity and self-sufficiency."

Definitely not being lazy! Nope.

But this watermelon pico de gallo, tho!

Basically this is a super-simple twist on the fresh Mexican salsa made with diced watermelon, onions, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and a sprinkle of chile flakes.

You dice and toss and then let it sit for a couple minutes until all the flavors get friendly with each other.

Honestly, all you're basically doing here is swapping watermelon in for the tomatoes.

It's not rocket science, but they add just a tiny hint of sweetness that works beautifully with the spicy shrimp and make the whole thing seem so clever and trendy.

So trendy.

Note that if you have jalapeño or serrano peppers on hand, you should definitely dice one up and add it to the mix.

I didn't and was feeling lazy creative, so I just went with dried chile flakes. A sprinkle of cayenne works just as well.

You get your spice. You get some flavor. It's all good. It's summer. Don't stress.

It's so flexible and easy to customize. See what you have in your fridge and play around! This is basically my number one cooking rule.

Honestly...this is my number one life, rule. Improvisation is my game.

Note that the shrimp can be seasoned and the salsa can be made a few hours in advance--then just cook the shrimp right before serving. It's perfect for parties or busy weeknight dinners.

The only other thing you need is a chilled glass of wine or an icy tequila cocktail--or two! Rum works, too.

No judgment from me, folks.


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Loved this recipe? Here are three other taco recipes you might like:

• Quick Shrimp Tacos with Spicy Mango Salsa
• Ancho Pomegranate Pulled Brisket Tacos
• Chimichurri Fish Tacos

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading!

Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Pico de Gallo
Serves 4

Ingredients

For the shrimp
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the watermelon pico de gallo
3 cups seedless watermelon, diced into small 1/2" cubes
1 large red or white onion, diced
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 fresh limes, juiced
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes OR 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For the sauce
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin

You’ll also need
12 small soft tortillas (corn or wheat)
Additional lime wedges for serving

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Toss well to combine and set aside while you make the salsa.

Make the salsa: In another bowl, toss together the diced watermelon, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and chile. Sprinkle with kosher salt and toss again. Cover and chill until serving.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, and cumin to make the sauce.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté about 5-7 minutes, or until shrimp are fully cooked and slightly charred on the edges.

Assemble tacos by spreading tortilla with a bit of the sauce, layering on the shrimp and spoonfuls of pico de gallo. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

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On New Orleans, Sassy Bosses & Army Guys (Oyster Po' boy Tacos with Jalapeño Remoulade Recipe)

I was 19 the first time I went to New Orleans. It was summer and I was working full-time as a press intern in DC, where I spent most of my days writing press releases, sending media kits, and pitching stories.

I also spent a lot of time taking long Pinot Grigio-fueled lunches with my boss--a sassy older southern lady who would always say things like:

"Honey, I've been working here since sexual harassment was called flirting."

I loved her.

The coolest thing about this job (besides that lady) was that in August, all of us interns got to accompany our bosses on a business trip.

And not some lame car-trip to a conference room in nowheresville, either!

A real live business trip, via plane, to New Orleans.

Where we each got our own executive suite.

And an expense account.

For a week.

I loved it.

The one thing I didn't love about this trip was that I was alone most of the non-working time. The other intern had brought his girlfriend along so they were always off doing couple-y things together.

My closest friend on the trip was my sassy boss, but she would head back to her room early each evening (ya know...because she was in her 70s), and I would be left by myself.

At 19. In New Orleans. With a suite and an expense account.

The first couple nights were actually pretty low-key. I ordered up various crayfish dishes, and ate them on my king size bed in the hotel robe while watching pay per view movies.

But when I told this to my boss, she took pity on me and told one of my other bosses (a younger guy in his mid 30s) to:

"take the girl out, damn it"

So he dutifully chaperoned me on my first trip to Bourbon Street where I dragged him around from one non-carding Hurricane-selling booth to another.

It was madness!

Unsurprisingly, I ended up meeting a guy that night in the midst of the flurry. He was a VERY handsome 30-year-old Army sergeant whose name I remember because it was Paul Walker--just like the actor in what was then still just one The Fast & The Furious movie.

For some reason, my chaperone-boss deemed Sgt. Walker trustworthy enough to entrust with my care, and left me alone with him.

Clearly, my boss was a TERRIBLE chaperone.

Note to aspiring chaperones: don't ever leave buzzed 19-year-old girls alone on Bourbon Street with hot older Army guys on leave!

Fortunately, Sgt. Walker ended up being a pretty stand-up guy, and I (and my bosses) were surprised when he showed up in the press room at the convention center the next day with a bouquet of pink roses and an invite to lunch, during which he [at last! the point of the story!] introduced me to my first oyster po'boy.

The flavors of these fried oyster tacos remind me of that trip. Shucked oysters are coated in a crispy spiced cornmeal batter and fried until crisp. I serve them in soft tortillas spread generously with a spicy jalapeno remoulade. Add fresh tomatoes, avocados and cilantro, and you're in for a delicious summer treat.

No hurricanes, chaperones, or soldiers required.

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Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading! 

Oyster Po'boy Tacos with Jalapeño Remoulade

Ingredients
For the Jalapeño Remoulade:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely minced
1 bunch scallions, finely minced

For the oysters:
3/4 cup ground cornmeal (I like Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Coconut or Canola Oil for frying
24 oysters, shucked
Tortillas, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, diced avocados, for serving


Directions
Make the remoulade: Whisk together sauce ingredients, cover and put in fridge to chill while you make tacos.

Prepare the oysters: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne, paprika, baking powder, and cornstarch.

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot until it reaches 350 degrees.

Working in batches, toss the oysters in the flour mixture and coat completely. Fry in the hot oil about 1 minute per side until golden and crispy. Place on a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain.

Assemble tacos--spread warm tortillas with remoulade, top with 3 or 4 oysters, and desired toppings. Serve immediately.

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Ceviche for Beginners: Easy Key Lime Scallop Ceviche

There was a time when I was terrified of ceviche.

A bowl of raw fish?! Cooked without heat??

I remember feeling suspicious about the whole thing.

I've never really been a fan of things that are too raw. Even today. I tend to stay away from very rare steak, only eat the cooked edges of seared tuna, and generally prefer complicated trendy Americanized rolls over more aggressively raw slices of bare sushi. Plates of tartare and carpaccio get pushed in my husband's direction. And while I'm ok with raw egg yolks when they disappear into a chocolate pudding, pasta carbonara, or mayonnaise, I prefer to not see bright yellow oozing all over my breakfast plate.

But the ceviche made regular appearances at the Latin restaurants we frequented growing up, and it wasn't long before I'd braved a bite, then two, and then entire plates of it.

Fresh, bright with citrus and herbs, and just a bit of heat from chile peppers. It was fish, but not fishy. Raw, but tasted somehow, magically, cooked.

It was an ideal summer choice, served alongside crispy tortillas or salty plantain chips.

And the truth is that as far as quick cooking methods,  ceviche is about as easy and no-fuss as you can get. At its most simple, it's simply good seafood or fish tossed with lime or lemon juice.

That's seriously it!

Then you can add herbs, spices, sliced chiles, diced fruit, nuts or vegetables...really just about anything but the base is simple.

This recipe only calls for 4 required ingredients (not counting salt & pepper), and the flavor is incredible. I love these rolled up into warm tortillas for easy ceviche tacos (add some diced avocado for creaminess) or even served with tortilla chips like a kind of entree salsa.

As far as raw seafood is concerned, scallops are one of the safest things you can eat. Tiny bay scallops are in season right now and require no prep, but you can also use large sea scallops and just dice them up.

And key lime juice is particularly special with a brighter and slightly sweeter flavor than regular limes. I juiced my own, but you can buy fresh bottled key lime juice at many grocery stores. Or just use regular limes.

Have you ever tried ceviche? Would you make it at home?

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Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!  

Easy Key Lime Scallop Ceviche Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound fresh bay scallops, rinsed under cold water
3/4 cup fresh key lime juice (from about 15 key limes, or use regular fresh lime juice)
1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed and very thinly sliced (I used one red and one green for color)
1/4 cup minced chives (substitute finely minced red onion or scallions)
Kosher salt and black pepper

Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro leaves, diced avocado, tortilla or plantain chips, for serving

Directions
Place bay scallops in a large non-reactive bowl (such as glass) and pour in the key lime juice. Add the sliced peppers, and chives. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat well. Cover with plastic. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally, and not longer than 3 hours.

Serve cold garnished with cilantro, and with tortillas, plantain chips, or chips on the side.

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Broke on Sundays (Homemade Corn and Flour Tortilla Recipe)

Sundays were always an exercise in creativity during my days in culinary school. Before I moved to Italy, my dad and I had made an arrangement that he would deposit $100 worth of food and spending money into my account on Monday mornings. My tuition and housing were completely paid for, and the city was small enough to get around easily on foot, so it seemed like a good amount in theory.

Unfortunately, the exchange rate at the time turned that $100 into about 70 euro, which swiftly disappeared one scoop of gelato or bottle of wine at a time.

Image via

I was never particularly good about budgeting and the glass cases piled high with assorted panini that I would pass on the way to and from school each day proved irresistible.

As did the cheese in the market.

And the nutella-filled crostatas.

And the $10 brick oven margarita pizza and wine special at the cafe near my school.

image via Walks of Italy

By the time the weekend rolled around, my roommates and I usually found ourselves pooling together our crumpled bills and euro coins to make it through until our next allowance arrived.

I used to joke that if I ever wrote a book about our time in Italy, it would be called Broke on Sundays.

I remember one evening when my roommate Susanne and I invited a couple of chefs we'd been dating over for wine (they were bringing it, along with leftovers from the restaurant where they worked since we didn't have food, either), only to realize that our sink was overflowing with dirty dishes and plates that we couldn't wash because we had no soap.

Yes. We were literally too poor to afford soap. (Well, I mean, we had shampoo, but we weren't about to waste that on dishes.)

We spent 2 hours digging through seat cushions, emptying out pockets, and even searching the sidewalk in front of our flat for enough coins to buy a bottle of the cheapest dish soap available--a dusty, 60 euro cent bottle of generic neon green slime. I still remember the shopkeepers look of horror as we poured our pile of coins onto his counter to pay for it.

One of my favorite discoveries during these days were homemade tortillas. When I arrived in the flat for the first time in January, I was pleased to discover that the previous renters had left a large container of flour.

Without a recipe (or even the internet!) I combined the flour with water, a bit of salt, and some stolen olive oil (a story for another time) to make a simple dough. I used one of our many leftover wine bottles to roll out the circles of dough and fried them on a hot skillet.

They were hot and just a little bit chewy--perfect for rolling around scrambled eggs or spreading with soft cheese (purchased during the lush early days of the week).

A few years after we got back to the US, I got an email from Susanne asking me if I had the recipe for those tortillas I used to make. I didn't because I had really just winged it, but jotted a note to myself that I really should make them again soon.

Last night, I found myself craving shrimp tacos--one of my favorite weekday recipes. I had everything I needed except the tortillas, but it was cold and raining, and I had no desire to venture a few blocks to the store to purchase some.  But I did have ingredients, and so I got to work in the kitchen mixing a dough, rolling out circles and frying hot, fresh tortillas on my cast iron skillet.

The whole process took less than an hour, and the results were absolutely incredible. This recipe is for tortillas made with equal parts flour and cornmeal (much fancier than what I ate in my impoverished Florentine days).

The combination produces a particularly wonderful tortilla that's both soft and deliciously flavored. The taste is reminiscent of arepas or huaraches, and pairs beautifully with your favorite taco toppings.

Read more about my life in Florence here. 

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Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!

Homemade Corn and Flour Tortillas
Makes 10-12 taco-sized tortillas

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
1 1/4 cup stoneground yellow cornmeal (preferably organic)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon melted butter or bacon fat, plus more for greasing pan
3/4 cup whole milk

Directions
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder until evenly combined. Mix in the butter and milk, beating until a dough forms. Turn out and knead by hand for 5 minutes until dough is no-longer sticky (if too wet, add a bit more flour a tablespoon at a time). Divide dough into 10-12 even sized balls and arrange on a baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest 15-20 minutes.

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. Sprinkle counter with flour, then working with one ball of dough at a time, roll out until it's about 1/8" thin. Grease the skillet and fry the flattened circle of dough for about 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with rest of dough.

Serve tortillas immediately with your favorite toppings. They're best fresh, but leftovers can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated 1-2 days, then reheated slightly in a warm skillet or microwave. Tortillas can also be wrapped and frozen indefinitely.

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Ancho-Pomegranate Pulled Brisket Tacos

I've been on a taco binge ever since getting back from L.A.  I miss the beach and the sun, and though I can't deny the turning leaves or the chilly bite that's taken hold in the air here in New York, this is my way of dealing with it. I may be forced into pulling out the stockings and grabbing a jacket each time I leave the door, but nothing can stop me from seeking out those flavors and rolling them into a warm tortilla.

Over the past few days, we've had shrimp tacos and braised pork tacos. At a restaurant the other night, I ordered grasshopper tacos, which were surprisingly good--nutty and salty, like intense crispy mushrooms.

I'm actually typing this while eating my lunch: cilantro-marinated chicken tenders, grilled and topped with spicy mango sauce and Greek yogurt on a warm flour tortilla.

It's an addiction, but I don't want help for it.

In fact, I want you to join me in my obsession.

Because of the Jewish holidays, brisket has been on super sale around here. I recently picked up a small 6-pound one and decided to have some fun with it.

I raided my spice cabinet and mixed up a smoky rub of ground ancho chiles, cocoa powder, ground coffee, smoked paprika, brown sugar, and a few Latin spices.

I rubbed this all over the meat, which I then cut into large chunks for easier cooking.

After searing all the pieces, I nestled them into my heavy Dutch oven with a bottle of pomegranate juice, a few bay leaves and garlic cloves.

Simple and only about 15 minutes of prep time. I left the whole thing simmering on the slowest burner while I went about my day. (A slow cooker or a low oven would work beautifully here, too.)

It wasn't long before our entire apartment filled with that heady, savory aroma; even the UPS guy commented on it as he walked down the hall with a package in hand. While the meat cooked, I quickly pickled a couple red onions (I'll share that easy recipe tomorrow).

I told Eugene the plan and he asked me what kind of wine he should pick up at his brother's store on his way home from work.

"The tequila kind," I said.

Spicy margaritas were also on my menu...

We set up camp in our living room, bowls filled with the tender shredded meat, Greek yogurt, the onions. A pitcher of jalapeno margaritas, clinking over ice and sweating condensation onto my coffee table. I crumbled up some queso fresco for an additional salty bite. Fresh cilantro and my favorite Chipotle Tabasco Sauce, finished off the dish. 

Eugene loved it all so much he couldn't stop thanking me between bites. In fact, he was so overwhelmed he kind of exhausted himself and fell asleep on the couch before 10pm. No complaints from me, though--that just meant I got to finish the margaritas myself!

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Thanks for reading & sharing!   

Ancho Pomegranate Brisket Tacos

Ingredients
For the spice rub:
2 tablespoons ground ancho chile
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoon ground coffee
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground oregano
3 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons kosher salt

For the meat:
5-7lb beef brisket, trimmed
Oil for frying
3 cups pomegranate juice (such as POM)
3 bay leaves
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
4 large garlic cloves, crushed

For serving: tortillas, pickled red onions, Greek yogurt, fresh cilantro, queso fresco, hot sauce

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the ancho, cocoa, coffee, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, sugar, and salt.

Cut the brisket into 4 to 6 large pieces, and rub completely with the spice mixture. Reserve any unused spice mixture for future recipes (this is also great on pork shoulder!)

In a large heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven, heat a few tablespoons of oil, and sear the pieces of brisket in batches, turning to sear on all sides. Return all the brisket pieces to the pot, pour in the pomegranate juice. Add the bay leaves, onion halves, and garlic cloves.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover, and let simmer at least 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender. (Can also be cooked in a slow cooker.)

Remove the meat from the pot and use a fork to shred. Serve along with tortillas and other toppings to make tacos.

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Quick Shrimp Tacos with Spicy Mango Salsa

If I had to, I'm pretty sure I could live on soft tacos for the rest of my life. (Well, soft tacos and dessert.) (And wine.) (And...well, you get it.)


But tacos...yes...they just hit all my favorite flavor notes: spicy and salty and sometimes even a little bit sweet. I make fish tacos at least once a week, with tilapia or mahi mahi, quickly fried and topped with cumin-spiked sour cream. I make chorizo tacos and pair them with salty cotija cheese. I even make vegetarian tacos, filling them with a mix of chopped mushrooms and nuts in a smokey sauce (get the recipe for my Vegetarian Chipotle Mushroom Tacos over on iVillage.com). 

But I think shrimp tacos are the ones I make most often, just because they are so quick. Shrimp are the ultimate convenience food. They cook in mere minutes and pair so well with any number of flavors.

If I'm starving and in a real rush, I'll just toss them with a little bit of chipotle-flavored Tabasco sauce (my ultimate #1 favorite favorite favorite!!! hot sauce) and sear them up quickly on a hot skillet. Over mixed greens or rolled into a soft tortilla with a bit of Greek yogurt and maybe an avocado, and you've got the perfect quick meal.

This version here has a couple more steps, but they're barely any more complicated. I pair them with a super quick cabbage slaw and and equally super quick spicy mango salsa. The results are sweet and spicy and tangy--add a cocktail and close your eyes; it's like an instant vacation!

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Like this recipe? Share the photo and link with a friend on Facebook or Pinterest so that more folks can enjoy it! I'd also love if you'd consider subscribing to my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates by filling in your address in the box on the right.

Thanks for reading & sharing!  

Quick Shrimp Tacos with Spicy Mango Salsa Recipe

Ingredients
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, cleaned, tails off
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 large lime, juiced
1/4 fresh cilantro, minced, plus more for garnish

For the mango salsa
1 large ripe mango, peeled and finely diced
1/2 jalapeno, finely diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large lime, juiced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely minced
Kosher salt and black pepper

Soft corn or flour tortillas, for serving

Directions
In a large bowl, toss the peeled shrimp with olive oil, paprika, and a teaspoon each of kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.

In a second bowl, combined the shredded cabbage, cucumber, onion, buttermilk, lime juice, and cilantro. Toss to coat, then season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper, set aside.

In a third bowl, combine the mango, jalapeno, olive oil, lime juice, and cilantro. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and set aside.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and let cook about 2 minutes per side, until golden.

Warm the tortillas on a skillet or in the microwave. Assemble the taco by first adding the cabbage slaw, topped by the shrimp, and finally the mango salsa. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately.

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