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I first tasted tacos al pastor only a few years ago in LA, a city with some unbelievably good taco vendors. While I know that swordfish doesn’t carry the same rich fattiness as, say, pork, I just had to try replicating this absolutely delicious dish using fish. This recipe is from my book Take One Fish, and I hope you enjoy.
Ingredients | Serves 8-12
Marinade and fish
- 2½ tbsp grapeseed oil, plus extra for brushing
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 7 dried guajillo or ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup apple-cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup achiote paste (about 3½ oz.)
- Sea salt flakes
- 4½ lb. swordfish loin, sliced ⅛ inch thick
- ½ pineapple, peeled
To Serve
- 20 warm corn tortillas
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- Sea salt flakes
- 2 bunches cilantro, chopped
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
To Prepare
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic and cook until lightly colored. Stir in oregano, cumin, pepper and clove until fragrant. Add chiles and cook briefly, then add pineapple juice, vinegar and achiote. Bring to a boil, then rest 5 minutes. Blend smooth and season.
Coat the swordfish in the marinade and refrigerate uncovered overnight. The next day, thread the fish onto a spit or skewers. Grill over very high heat, brushing with oil and turning often until caramelized, 12-15 minutes. Rest briefly. Grill the pineapple until charred, then slice.
To Serve
Shave the swordfish onto warm tortillas. Add onion, salt, cilantro, grilled pineapple and lime. Serve hot with cold beer.
