CLASSIC ENSENADA FISH TACOS
TACOS DE PESCADO “CLASICOS DE ENSENADA”
Recipe from Rick Bayless season 8 of Mexico one Plate at a name, the name of the episode is “Astonishing Baja”
SERVINGS: 12 TACOS, ENOUGH TO SERVE 4
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard (like French’s)
- 1 teaspoon concentrated chicken base or chicken flavor
- powdered bouillon
- 1 cup beer, sparkling water, or water
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil to a depth 11/2 of inches for frying 1 pound boneless, skinless fish fillets (practically anything will work, but I like larger-flake, lighter-flavor fish best for the preparation – think halibut, sea bass, grouper, and the like)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream or heavy (whipping) cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 12 warm corn tortilla
- 1 cup (or more) thinly sliced cabbage (I like Napa cabbage best)
- About 1 cup pico de gallo and three limes cut into wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
- Finely chop the garlic, sprinkle generously with salt, then mash back and forth with the side of your knife across your cutting board until crushed to a puree. Scrape into a medium bowl and add the oregano, black pepper, mustard, base or bouillon, beer or water, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and whisk just until combined.
- Heat the oil in a heavy skillet to 370 degrees. While the oil is heating, cut the fish into pieces about 3 inches long by ½-inch square. Use a pair of tongs to pick up a piece of fish, dip it completely into the batter, and lay it into the oil. Continue with a few more pieces of fish, filling the hot oil with an uncrowded layer. Fry, turning the pieces regularly, until deep golden and crisp, about 4 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven on a wire rack set over a sheet pan while you fry the rest of the fish.
- Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, and milk. Set out with the cabbage, pico de gallo, warm corn tortillas, limes, and the crispy fish for everyone to make tacos.
PICO DE GALLO
- medium plum tomatoes, chopped
- 2 fresh serrano chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped into small pieces
- ½ small onion, finely chopped and rinsed briefly under running water
- 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- The juice of one small lime
- Salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon. Mix and serve.
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