Fish Tacos

This is a recipe that I’ve developed over the past few years. I was first inspired by a trip to Arizona, where I first tried fish tacos, and by a recipe a chef friend of mine showed me. The latter was a dressing for an appetizer of julienned mango, chayote, and plantain, with crab and toasted almonds. It was an amazing dish in my recollections, and what made it so was the dressing, which I use for the coleslaw for my fish tacos. A blend of sweet honey and sour lime, balanced by ground coriander and chopped fresh cilantro, this dressing has become a standard in my kitchen. Most everything here can be adjusted, depending on your predilections (more or less heat or sweet or sour, etc.). I use tilapia (frozen, usually) for this one, and I try to get the best corn tortillas I can find. I usually serve fish tacos with beans, lots of fresh raw (and blanched) vegetables, guacamole, and sometimes with some meat dish, like chile verde pork (see picture).

Marinade for fish:

1-2 shallots, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 large or 1 whole jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped (you could add more, if you want it to be a little hotter; you could also use serrano or habanero peppers; whatever you have in the garden, or on hand)

chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon

paprika, 1/2 teaspoon

white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon

black pepper, 1/2 teapoon

cumin, 1/4 teaspoon

achiote paste, 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

olive oil

Mix together with oil, and add to 2 lbs. tilapia (each filet cut into 4-5 pieces) in large bowl; set aside while making coleslaw

Coleslaw:

1/2 small head of cabbage (I use white, but you could use a mix of white and red); finely shredded

1 green onion, chopped

Dressing:

1 tablespoon honey

juice of l large lime

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground whole coriander (I try to use what I grow in my garden; otherwise, I favor Mexican over Indian coriander for this dish). Either use a spice grinder, or smash and chop on a cutting board

1 bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1-2 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

4-5 tablespoons vegetable oil (you could also use olive oil)

Combine everything except oil in small mixing bowl, and whisk together well, then add oil in thin stream, whisking to emulsify

Test for flavor–if it’s too sweet, add more lime juice, or if it’s too sour, add a bit more honey. Adjust for salt and/or pepper.

Combine with shredded cabbage and green onion, and set aside.

Fry the fish: Get one or two large non-stick saute pans very hot; I like to use two, to get all the fish fried quickly. Once the pans are hot, add the fish in one layer, sear on one side for about 2 minutes, then turn gently to cook other side, until done (2 minutes or so). Put all the fish in one pan, and turn off heat, and let sit.

Prepare corn tortillas: I like to either heat them in the toaster oven, or heat them quickly on a dry griddle.

To serve, put fish and coleslaw in large bowls, the tortillas on a plate, and let everyone make their own tacos. I like to serve some other condiments–hot sauce, diced avocados, chopped jalapeños, lime wedges. I also like to serve either black refried beans, or rice–or both. And if I have a big crowd, then I’ll often cook up some ground venison taco filling, or pork chile verde–recipes for another time.