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.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 tacos

　　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

　　

Step 1

Mix all the ingredients except for the fish, oil, tortillas, and garnish in a large bowl. Toss the fish cubes in the mixture and marinate for at least 3 hours.

　　

Step 2

Remove the fish from the marinade, shaking off any excess liquid; discard the marinade. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the fish on all sides until cooked through, about 7 minutes.

　　

Step 3

To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the shredded lettuce and filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and a squeeze of fresh lime. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Add some shredded lettuce, spoon on some filling, and top with salsa and a squeeze of fresh lime. Fold, and eat right away.

　　Tacos by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Copyright © 2009 by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Mark Miller is the acclaimed chef-founder of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has started and owned thirteen different restaurants on three continents from 1979 to 2008. He is the author of ten books with nearly 1 million copies in print, including Tacos, The Great Chile Book, The Great Salsa Book, and Coyote Cafe. Mark currently works in International Culinary Consulting and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Benjamin Hargett is a travel-loving chef who has cooked in Europe, the Carribean, Mexico, and the United States, where he worked with Mark Miller at the Coyote Café for many years.