Coconut Lime Mahi Mahi Tacos with Tequila Soaked Watermelon Salsa

It’s Thursday Tacos time. YES!

First though, we have to talk about my age.

Yeah, my age.

I am the very young age of nineteen, two years away from twenty-one.

Sometimes I feel odd posting recipes with alcohol in them because I am not legal. Sure, I am legally considered an adult, but I can not legally drink alcohol. And trust me, I don’t. You will never catch me with a margarita, spiked coffee, beer or even a glass of wine. I am being 100 percent honest when I say I do not drink. I have never even had a drink, unless you count those teensy tinesy sips of my dad’s beer that he would let me have when I was young.

Oh, I thought I was so cool when he would let me do that. Especially, if there were other people around. I mean they really were just the tiniest sips, but it made me feel all grown up and ahead of my years.

The truth is, I have always been ahead of my years. Too mature for my age. My entire life (even when I was a little baby, toddler and pre-schooler) people called me an old soul, which honestly freaks me out, but I must admit, it seems to fit.

Since I am being totally honest here, I decided that I would not drink in seventh grade when my friends were starting to dabble with the idea. I have older brothers, older brothers who did stupid things. I know what drinking can lead to and I know my personality. I like to know that my brain is my brain and it is not being influenced by any kind of substance. It is kind of like letting a good friend influence your decisions. I would not do that, I want to make decisions based on me and my needs, not those of someone or something else.

Does that make any sense at all?

With all that said, I absolutely LOVE cooking and baking with some booze!

For one, it is fun, but most importantly it adds great flavor. Bourbon makes one awesome glaze for corn fritters, irish cream is a great for doughnut fillings, beer braises some amazingly good pork, tequila makes some dang good chicken and is really great in doughnut glaze, frosting and filling too!

Okay, so I guess I really like some good booze in my eats…..

So what I am saying is, who cares if I am only nineteen?

Not me, not parents and hopefully not you guys.

Truthfully, I am mature to the point of being seriously boring. No, really I am so boring. Probably the most boring nineteen-year old you’ll ever meet. I have already graduated from college, worked in the exciting city of Los Angeles for a summer (six days a week, not the un-boring – I have a life – five days) yet somehow managed to never even be tempted by the “LA scene”. So much so that I decided it, even as glamorous as it was, that it wasn’t for me. I even have a decent savings, I mean what 19 year old has a decent savings? I know I should be out enjoying some of my hard earned loot but truthfully, this blog is way more important to me, even if it is pretty much non-stop twenty-four seven. My hope is, that this blog has added value to your eating habits. I also hope that it continues to do so for quite some time.

So, why am I telling you all this? I am being brutally honest because I have felt a little weird (and even more so because some of you have actually inquired) about posting recipes with alcohol in them and felt it was time to address the issue. For the most part, the amount of alcohol I am using my recipes is very minimal, unless it is a dish like the pulled pork carnitas, where there is a whole beer, but most of the beer cooks off during the 10 hours of cooking (seriously, by that time there is practically no alcohol left). And for this tequila soaked watermelon, I am also cooking the tequila first, granted not for very long though.

Okay, okay, okay.

Enough said on that subject, and enough seriousness! Let’s get to the stuff and have some fun!

K? Cool!

First let’s just talk about the tequila soaked watermelon-mango salsa.

Basically, it is just how is sounds. I soaked the watermelon for 30 minutes in a tequila simple syrup and it made for the very best salsa around. I mean SO good. Slightly sweet, completely refreshing and so flavorful. It is seriously, amazing! But of course if you are not into using tequila at all than the tequila can most definitely be left out.

No harm done, it is totally up to you.

If you like a little alcohol, I recommend it!

The sweet and refreshing watermelon and the mango + the coconut lime mahi mahi are just out of this world. The flavor combos are so simple, but so good! I mean coconut lime mahi mahi! Awe, it is just awesome and come on, how good does that sound with the tequila watermelon salas?!?

It is like summer’s perfect all-star taco and it’s easy peasy!

The only reason I am saying the meal takes 40 minutes it because you need to give the watermelon a little time to soak, otherwise it’s pretty quick. Just crisp up your taco shell in the oven (if using soft shells then just skip this step all together), grill or sear the fish, toss the salsa together and grab some cream cheese.

Yes, cream cheese. Just do it, it is so good!

Oh and if you’re not into mahi mahi you could totally do this with any white fish, shrimp or probably even salmon too!

I obviously can not control my excitement about the tacos. Maybe I am not as mature as I thought….. Nope, I am just crazy excited about these!

So you ready? Get set….

Go! Thursday night tacos!