Spicy Fish Tacos with Lemon Dill Slaw and Homemade Tortillas

     It's been several weeks since the novel coronavirus pandemic rocked the world and Americans have been spending much more time in their own homes and kitchens than normal. For me, the stress of the world changing every minute seems to have melted into an equally anxiety-ridden drudgery ... a nameless fear that this is all there is and will never end. (I promise, that's not true! Don't believe it for a second!) Even meals were starting to feel mundane.
    This recipe was born while I was struggling through yet another Zoom webinar, working from home. I found that daydreaming about dinner tonight helped me get through the day, and gave me something to look forward to that was different than yesterday. And isn't that what aches the most about mundanity ... the lack of spice and adventure?
     I hope this recipe inspires you to set aside a little time to plan ahead for something different for dinner tonight. It will give you something to look forward to, and you just might become the parent to an awesome new recipe yourself.

Ingredients:
For the fish:

• 4 Tilapia fillets, thawed
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp tabasco powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 shallot
• 3-4 whole ramps
• Olive oil

For the corn tortillas (makes about 16):

• 2 cups instant masa
• 2/3 cup water

For the slaw:

• 1 cup grated carrot (about 1 medium)
• 1 cup shredded or chopped red cabbage
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

Other:

• Leftover cooked rice
• Salsa
• Crumbly cheese (your choice!)

Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets. Stir together the Old Bay, allspice, cumin, paprika, tabasco powder, and salt in a small bowl. Coat both sides of each fillet with this spice rub, then place on a plate covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Grate the carrot and shred the cabbage, then stir together with the Greek yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, dill, and a hint of salt and pepper. Store in the fridge to let the flavors meld at least 1 hour.

Prepare the corn tortillas according to the Instant Masa package directions. Mix together masa and water into a soft dough, then divide into about 16 palm-sized balls. Use a tortilla press or a rolling pin to flatten into 6-inch round circles. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side in a hot, dry skillet. This is easier done as a team if possible, with one person rolling tortillas and the other cooking them. You may have leftover tortillas from this meal; be sure to keep them dry and eat within a couple days because they don't last as long as store-bought. (They taste much better though!)

Preheat the oven to 425. Chop the ramps (green and white parts) into 2 inch sections and chop the shallot into large chunks. Toss both ramps and shallots in a little olive oil, then spread out on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Place the fish on the sheet and position the ramps and shallots around and on top of the fish. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 165.

Reheat the leftover rice (or prepare some new rice if you don't have leftovers), and season with your choice of dried green spices. We used Italian seasoning this time but if I had it, I would have chosen cilantro.

Roughly chop the fish into large chunks and serve with the roasted ramps and shallots all mixed together in a bowl. Present the tortillas, slaw, seasoned rice, fish, cheese, and salsa choices on the table so that each person can build their own tacos. Four tacos a piece is probably more than enough.