Just hearing the term "fish tacos" makes me hungry for some, but I know others don't share this appetite. Many people turn their nose up at fish tacos because either a- they don't like fish, or b- they don't think it belongs in a taco. Hopefully this recipe can change the non-believers into fish tacos eaters, and for those of you who already convinced, this recipe will take your fish taco taste buds to a whole new level. For me, fish tacos are all about different layers of flavors and textures. One of my favorite things to dress up a fish taco with is sour cream sauce/ mayo sauce. If you like fish, think about how much better it is when dipped in tartar sauce (mostly mayo). If you like tacos, think about how great a dollop of sour cream is on top. All I did was put two-and-two together. Mix about a quarter cup of sour cream with a tablespoon or so of mayo. Spice it up with a couple dashes of taco seasoning. This exact mixture is one of the layers on my moms famous 7-Layer Dip and it's just as good inside a taco.
Next, I like to mix up a little Pico de Gallo. Using fresh veggies here will really brighten up the look and flavor of the tacos. I used one tomato, diced, one jalapeno, seeded and minced, and a good handful of cilantro, chopped. Add a little salt and pepper and some lime juice and you're all set.
Now we need some texture. I used pre-packaged broccoli slaw that you get in the produce section. It has thin strands of broccoli, carrot, and cabbage. Iceberg lettuce or basic cabbage will do just fine here too. Something refreshing and crunchy to go against the other softer textures in the taco.
Finally, the fish. I used tilapia because it looked good and was inexpensive. You can use any mild-flavored white fish. Salmon would even be okay in these. Just dress the fish in a little S&P and olive oil and grill, bake, or pan fry. Fish does not take long to cook. A couple minutes on each side over the stove or grill or about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven (more or less depending on the thickness of the fillet). I was feeling a little creative and had one egg and just enough Panko bread crumbs left, so I did a breading for my tacos. This is totally optional, but definitely worth it if you have a ingredients. This is actually a good lesson in breading- fish or otherwise. You'll need three shallow dishes. Into one, scramble one egg with about a tablespoon of water. Into the second dish, add about a cup of flour- more or less depending on how much food your breading. Into the last dish, add about a cup of breadcrumbs- again more or less if need be. I like to use Panko break crumbs because they are stand up nice and keep their texture, but fine ground breadcrumbs or any other variety will do. Sprinkle the fish with S&P then start the breading process. First, coat the fish in the egg bath letting excess drain off the ends. Next it goes into the flour, then finally into the breadcrumbs. Egg, Flour, Breadcrumbs. EFB. Doing it in any other order will not be good! If you go with the breading method, I suggest pan frying it in some olive oil for about 3-4 minutes each side. You want a nice golden crust on the outside and a buttery, flaky consistency inside.
Set the fish aside and heat your tortillas until softened and warm. I had flour on hand so I used those, but corn tortillas are the traditional fish taco tortilla. Whatever floats your fishing boat :)
Now its time to assemble the taco. Start with a layer of the cream sauce, top with a piece of fish, then add the Pico and slaw/cabbage over the top. Another great thing to put inside a fish taco- a slice of avocado. Now just roll up and dig in. Oh- and make sure you have a ice cold Mexican beer on hand to wash it down with. If this doesn't sway your opinion of fish tacos, I don't know what will.
¡Buen Provecho!
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