While in America, Rubio’s, unintentionally, became our cure-all when under the weather after a big night. It’s just the right amount of ‘fast food’ so you get your fix, but it is packed with fresh and healthy ingredients to bring you back from the brink.

Unfortunately, we don’t really have anything quite like Rubio’s back here in Australia, most Mexican restaurants are beef mince, cheese and cornchip based stodge-fests. So I thought I why not make a Rubio’s feast myself (it happened to be a Tuesday, excuse the bad pun). I have used the menu on the Rubio’s website as a guide and just tried to figured the rest out for myself… I think I nailed it!

Serves 4

Chilli Lime Salmon Taco
2 pieces of fresh salmon
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 green cabbage
1/4 red cabbage
2 avocados
1/4 red onion
1 small can of sweet corn kernels
Handful of coriander
1 tbs pickled jalapeno juice
1/2 cup aioli
1 tsp canned *chipotle chillies
4 mini tortillas

Crispy Fish Taco
1 bag of baby rocket
2 tomatoes
1/2 jar of medium tomato salsa
2 tbs aioli 
4 tbs sour cream
2 tbs natural yogurt
2 crispy battered Barramundi fillets
4 mini tortillas

Turn on your BBQ or fry pan to get hot.

For the salmon taco, first we need to make the marinade. Combine all but 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, salt and cayenne, mix well, pour over the salmon and coat well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Next prep your salad ingredients, finely shred your greens and red cabbage.

To make the salsa, drain and rinse your corn, set aside in a colander to dry off. Dice your avocado, red onion and roughly chop your coriander. Combine ingredients in a bowl, add your drained and rinsed corn, add the reserved 1 tablespoon of lime juice and the 1 tablespoon of pickled jalapeno juice, combine as well as you can without mashing the avocado. Set aside.

For the chipotle sauce, (*you can get canned chipotles from Previsi’s in Woollogabba) combine aioli and chipotle in a bowl and mix well. Note: chipotle is a strong and overpowering flavour, restraint is the key. Add a teaspoon of water to thin the mixture slightly. Set aside.

For the crispy fish taco, I must confess I cheated here, I ordered beer battered barramundi fillets from our very good local fish and chip shop, however you could do this yourself. But if like us you have a good quality fish and chip shop, there is no need to try to improve upon perfection. Plus deep frying fish is messy and smelly. So give them a call and place your order.

In the meantime, dice your tomatoes and add to the bought salsa, I know it seems like cheating but it’s the flavour you want and after all we are recreating fast food.

For the white sauce, combine aioli, yogurt and sour cream. Mix well and set aside.

When your kind housemate goes to pick up the battered fish it’s time to cook the salmon. Place the salmon, skin side down BBQ hot plate or fry pan. Cook for 5 minutes so the skin goes nice and crisp, then reduce the heat and either close the BBQ or place the salmon in a hot oven, or turn over and cook the flesh side in the pan until just cooked right through but not dry and flaky, so the flesh has just lost the orange jelly texture.

Heat the tortillas in their bag (moisture absorbing square removed) in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Once the crispy fish has arrived, place everything on the table for people to assemble themselves. Enjoy.