Fish Tacos
There is little question that people have been eating fish tacos in the coastal areas of Mexico for an awfully long time. It probably goes back thousands of years to when indigenous North American peoples first wrapped the plentiful offshore catch into stone-ground-corn tortillas. But, somewhere in Baja California, sometime in the last 40 or 50 years, someone concocted what is generally considered to be the prototypical fish taco. According to aficionados, this humble delicacy consists of a lightly battered mild white fish that is deep-fried, then served in a corn tortilla (often two) with shredded cabbage, a thin sour-cream- or mayonnaise-based sauce, a bit of salsa, and a most vital spritzito of lime.
According to a Serious Eats recipe for Baja Style Fish Tacos by Rose Egelhoff who interviewed Paco Gaztelum, a second-generation taquero in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, a Baja-style taco recipe uses a batter made with pancake mix, which is typical of Baja. The dried mix is thinned with soda water and creates a light, crisp coating on the fish when deep fried. It's served with a quick and easy coleslaw and a hot fresh serrano chile salsa. Paco’s salsa de chile serrano is a special Tacos El Veneno recipe. A mayonnaise-ketchup sauce, avocado, and various toppings complete the tacos. The mayonnaise-ketchup sauce is a standard topping found on restaurant tables throughout Baja. But if you prefer, you could also whip up some chiplotle mayonnaise for added smoky flavor. To keep the colorful toppings coming, add pico de gallo and/or pickled red onions, a squeeze of lime, and your favorite hot sauce. Serve it all up on a hot corn tortilla and enjoy it with an ice cold drink.
As fish tacos reached El Norte, they went upscale ― out of the fryer and onto the grill. These new heart-friendly tacos may be more healthful, but they tend to lose their soul along with the fat. Done right, however, grilled fish tacos can taste mighty good, authenticity issues notwithstanding.
Note: Tilapia fillets or cod would also work well for these. You want to use a firm, white-fleshed fish.
Fish Tacos (fish is marinated, then grilled)
These are popular on the West Coast.
1 lb white fish, such as mahi mahi or red snapper
Marinade:
1/4 cup canola oil
Juice of one lime
1 jalapeño, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 cup finely shredded white cabbage
3/4 cup crema
3/4 cup fresh pico de gallo
Lime wedges
8 corn tortillas (soft)
Preheat your grill to medium-high.
Combine the oil, lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, and chile powder in a bowl and whisk together.
Place fish in a shallow glass or ceramic dish and pour the liquid over it. Cover, and let the fish marinate for 15 minutes.
Grill the fish for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until you can flake off a piece easily with a fork.
If you’re using soft tortillas, heat them up on the grill or in the microwave while your fish is grilling.
Use a fork to flake the fish into pieces and divide the pieces evenly into the tortillas.
Top each taco with shredded cabbage, crema, and pico de gallo, and garnish with a lime wedge.
Baja Style Fish Tacos (battered and deep-fried)
Recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid, 2009, Food Network show "Mexican Made Easy"
Beer Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup dark Mexican beer*
Cream Sauce:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup Mexican crema** or sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fish Tacos:
Oil, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
2 pounds skinned halibut cut into 5 by 1/2-inch strips
Freshly ground black pepper
Corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups tomatillo salsa (store-bought or homemade) for garnish, optional
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish, optional
For the Beer Batter:
Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add in the beer while whisking. Set aside and let the batter rest for 15 minutes before using.
For Cream Sauce:
Add the mayonnaise and crema to a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (can be made 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated).
For the Fish:
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when inserted into the oil.
On a large plate, combine the flour and salt. [Pat the fish dry with a paper towel so the batter sticks.] Season the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Working in batches, dip the fillets in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Make tacos with the tortillas and fish and top each with cream sauce, shredded cabbage, tomatillo salsa and pickled jalapenos, if desired.
*Cook's Note: Crack open a cold Mexican cerveza like a Negra Modelo or a 2 Equis (XX) Amber to make this tasty beer batter, which will change the way you think about fried fish! You can use it for vegetables, too.
**Cook's Note: Mexican Crema is Mexico's version of creme fraiche and is found at many supermarkets and can easily be substituted with sour cream.
6 - 8 servings
