Rockfish Tacos with Guacamole and Pepitas, Spicy Braised Beans, Sweet Potato Fries, and Brown Butter Peaches

Pan-Seared Rockfish

Dry fish and a hot pan produce golden edges without a flour coating. Mild seasoning lets the rockfish stand up to lime and guacamole without overwhelming its sweetness.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb skinless, boneless rockfish fillets
• 2 tbsp ghee
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Check the rockfish for pin bones, pat very dry, and cut into roughly 2-inch pieces. Season with salt, paprika, cumin, and black pepper immediately before cooking.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee, then arrange the fish in a single layer with space between pieces; cook in two batches if needed.
3. Sear without moving for 2–3 minutes, until a golden crust forms and the fish releases readily. Turn gently and cook another 1–3 minutes, depending on thickness, until the center reaches 145°F and flakes under light pressure.
4. Transfer to a warm plate and serve promptly with lime wedges.

Notes

• Rockfish is delicate: use a thin fish spatula and turn each piece only once.

Chunky Lime Guacamole

A coarse mash gives the tacos creamy richness while lime and a little chile keep the fish tasting bright.

Ingredients

• 2 large ripe avocados
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp finely minced white onion
• ½ jalapeño, seeded if desired and finely minced
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and salt in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add the avocado flesh and mash roughly with a fork, leaving some distinct chunks. Fold in the cilantro.
3. Taste for salt and lime. Cover directly against the surface until ready to serve.

Warm Tortillas, Toasted Pepitas, and Cilantro

Warm tortillas stay pliable, while dry-toasted pepitas add a crisp contrast to the soft fish and avocado. One batch of pepitas supplies both the tacos and dessert.

Ingredients

• 8 6-inch gluten-free corn tortillas
• ½ cup raw shelled pepitas
• 1 pinch fine salt
• ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems

Instructions

1. Toast the pepitas in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, shaking frequently, until fragrant and beginning to puff. Toss with a pinch of salt and transfer to a bowl.
2. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the pepitas for dessert; use the remainder on the tacos.
3. Just before serving, warm the tortillas in a dry hot skillet for 20–40 seconds per side, until pliable with a few charred spots. Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
4. Set out the cilantro and taco pepitas for finishing.

Green and Romano Beans Braised in Spicy Tomato Sauce

A gentle braise makes the Romano beans silky and allows both bean varieties to absorb the spicy tomato sauce. Reducing the sauce uncovered keeps it clinging to the beans rather than pooling on the plate.

Ingredients

• ¾ lb Romano beans, stem ends trimmed and long beans halved crosswise
• ¾ lb green beans, stem ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand
• ⅓ cup water, plus more as needed
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide, lidded sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the salt; cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until soft but not deeply browned.
2. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, water, and remaining salt; simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add both kinds of beans and turn them through the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender but still hold their shape. Add a splash of water if the pan begins to dry out.
4. Uncover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the tomato sauce coats the beans thickly. Finish with the vinegar and adjust the salt and heat.

Notes

• This is a tender braise, not a crisp green-bean sauté; some loss of bright green color is expected.
• If the green beans are especially slender, add them 10 minutes after the Romano beans.

Piment d’Ville Sweet Potato Fries

A hot oven and uncrowded pans give the sweet potatoes browned edges and creamy centers. Adding the pepper after roasting protects its fruity aroma.

Ingredients

• 2 lb orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp Piment d’Ville pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two heavy sheet pans with parchment.
2. Cut the sweet potatoes into even ⅜-inch-thick fries. Dry well and toss with the avocado oil and salt.
3. Spread over the pans in a single layer, leaving space between pieces. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning the fries and exchanging pan positions halfway through, until browned at the edges and tender inside.
4. Sprinkle the hot fries with Piment d’Ville and adjust the salt. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Espelette pepper is a suitable substitute for Piment d’Ville.
• Roasted sweet potato fries have crisp edges rather than the rigid crunch of deep-fried potatoes.

Brown Butter Peaches with Kefir and Pepitas

Brown butter brings toasted richness to the peaches, while cool, tangy kefir balances their warm juices. Pepitas echo the tacos and add a final bit of crunch.

Ingredients

• 4 ripe but firm peaches, halved and pitted
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 cup plain unsweetened Achadinha kefir or other plain dairy kefir
• 3 tbsp toasted pepitas, reserved from the garnish component

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Place the peaches cut-side up in a baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer.
2. Melt the butter in a small, light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as it foams, then remove from the heat as soon as the milk solids turn hazelnut brown and smell nutty, about 3–5 minutes.
3. Stir the honey and salt into the warm brown butter. Spoon over the peaches, including the browned milk solids.
4. Roast for 12–17 minutes, basting once, until the peaches yield easily to a knife but retain their shape. Let cool for 5–10 minutes so they are warm rather than piping hot.
5. Divide the kefir among four shallow bowls. Add two peach halves to each, spoon over the buttery juices, and finish with the reserved pepitas.

Notes

• Very ripe peaches may need only 8–10 minutes in the oven; firmer fruit can take longer.
• For late-season peaches that are less juicy, add 1–2 tablespoons water to the baking dish to keep the honey and butter from scorching.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The beans can wait gently while the fish and tortillas are finished at the last minute. Roasting dessert during dinner frees the oven for the fries first.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Start the onion and tomato base for the beans; trim the beans while it cooks.
2. 0:15 — Add the beans to their sauce. Cut, season, and spread out the sweet potato fries, then put them in the oven.
3. 0:25 — Toast all the pepitas and reserve the dessert portion. Make the guacamole, wash the cilantro, and prepare the fish.
4. 0:35 — Turn the fries and rotate the pans. Check the beans; uncover to reduce the sauce once tender.
5. 0:45 — Halve the peaches and make the brown butter topping. Set the prepared baking dish aside while you finish dinner.
6. 0:45–0:55 — Sear the fish and warm the tortillas. Keep the finished beans covered over very low heat and remove the fries when browned.
7. Serve the tacos, beans, and fries immediately. Put the peaches in the oven as dinner begins, set a timer, and let them cool briefly before assembling dessert.

Plating

Keeping the braised beans beside the tacos protects the tortillas from excess moisture. Guacamole and pepitas go on last to preserve their texture.

Instructions

1. Place two warm tortillas on each plate and divide the rockfish among them.
2. Top with chunky guacamole, cilantro, and toasted pepitas. Add lime wedges alongside.
3. Spoon a compact portion of beans beside the tacos, using enough tomato sauce to coat them without flooding the plate.
4. Serve the sweet potato fries alongside or on a shared platter so they stay uncovered.
5. For dessert, serve warm peaches over cool kefir with their brown butter juices and reserved pepitas.

Leftover Path

Storing wet, crisp, and delicate elements separately makes it easier to recover good texture the next day.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate fish, beans, fries, guacamole, and peaches in separate airtight containers within 2 hours. Keep kefir refrigerated and toasted pepitas dry at room temperature.
2. Use the fish within 1–2 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a teaspoon of water until it reaches 165°F, then build fresh tacos with newly warmed tortillas.
3. Refrigerate the beans for up to 4 days and reheat in a saucepan with a splash of water. Re-crisp the fries in a 425°F oven for 8–12 minutes.
4. Press a cover directly against the guacamole and use within a day; some surface browning is normal.
5. Keep the peaches and their butter juices refrigerated for up to 3 days. Warm gently and add fresh cold kefir and pepitas only at serving.