Mexican Fish Tacos

Some foods can take us on an instant mental vacation. Fish tacos, done right, have this effect on me, conjuring up the sound of breaking waves and the feel of warm sand between my toes. I’ve had good fish tacos made “a la plancha” (sautéed), or “a la parilla” (grilled), but the tacos that do it for me are the standard here in Baja Sur, Mexico—made with fish battered and deep fried to a crispy golden brown.

Mexican taco stands (and restaurants) will always have an extensive condiment bar with plenty of options for personalizing your taco. For me, the condiment that makes or breaks the fish taco experience is the “Mexican coleslaw”, which can be any kind of shredded cabbage salad, sometimes as simple as naked, shredded cabbage, or mixed with other veggies and soaked in a vinegar solution, or a more elaborate, creamy version, similar to American coleslaw. The recipe below is for creamy slaw, which is my personal favorite.

The ingredients under “Other Condiments” are optional, though you must at minimum serve tacos with a spicy, fresh salsa and lime. While I have included several condiment options in this recipe, I have by no means included all of them. Feel free to add or substitute; do whatever it takes to transport yourself to your own personal beach.

Ingredients (6 servings):

· 18 fresh corn tortillas

· Mexican Coleslaw

o 2 c. cabbage, sliced very thin

o ¼ c. carrots, peeled and shredded

o ¼ c. onions, sliced very thin

o ½ - ¾ c. mayonnaise

o 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

o Juice of 2 limes

o Salt and pepper to taste

· Fried fish

o 2 lb. filets of firm white fish cut into strips (about ¾ in. by 3-4 in.)

o 1 qt. vegetable oil for frying

o Batter

§ 1 c. all-purpose flour

§ 1 t. baking powder

§ 1 t. salt

§ ½ t. white pepper

§ 8-12 oz. cold beer (preferably a Mexican light lager)

§ 1 egg

· Other Condiments (optional)

o Fresh Mexican salsa (tomatillo, roasted tomato, fruit based, you name it)

o Lime

o Sliced cucumbers

o Sliced radishes

o Guacamole

o Pico de gallo

o Pickled or diced onions

o Jalapeno slices

o Fresh cilantro

o Fresh pineapple sliced thinly

Directions:

1. Prepare the Mexican coleslaw by combining all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and seasoning to taste. Add more mayo or lime if necessary. Place in refrigerator to chill prior to serving.

2. Unless your tortillas are incredibly fresh, it’s best to heat them up before serving. There are a few options for doing this: (1) Heat them on a dry skillet, about 10 seconds per side, (2) flash fry each in a skillet with 1t. oil, about 10 seconds per side, or (3) wrap a stack in aluminum foil and warm them in the oven or toaster oven for about 15 minutes at a low oven temperature.

3. Prepare the batter: In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the beer and egg. Mix until smooth. Let batter stand for 10 minutes.

4. Prepare the condiments:

· Peel the cucumber and slice thin

· Slice the radish thin

· Cut the limes into quarters or eighths for squeezing

· Prepare guacamole and salsa and place into small serving bowls  

5. Fry the fish: Heat oil in a large pot to 350°F. Pat the fish dry. Dredge the fish in the batter, one piece at a time, and gently, gently place them in the hot oil. Fry until the fish is golden brown, turning about half way through. If necessary, increase the heat to maintain the 350°F temperature. You may need to add more flour to the batter as you go along if the batter starts to thin out. Remove fish as soon as it stops steaming. I can generally cook 4-5 pieces at a time on the stovetop without the temperature dropping too much, and it only takes about 3-4 minutes per batch. Drain well on paper towels. Repeat until all of the fish has been fried.

6. Serve the hot fish with the warm tortillas, slaw, condiments, and plenty of napkins.

¡Buen provecho!