Fish tacos

For at least 10 years we have escaped the New England winters with a trip to a favorite beach in Mexico. Our family is deep into work – whatever that is – so not everyone makes it to our beach getaway every time. Once we are there, getting and making good fish tacos is top of our list – that and getting to the beach. I travel with jams – (also olive oil and good knives) so I bring along Red Pepper jelly and use it with the fish tacos I make. Sometimes the fish is battered and sometimes not. Here is a recipe I think is really good with either batter-fried or grilled fish.

Ingredients:

Fish:

1 lb cod, halibut, haddock, mahi mahi, grouper
1 cup flour (plus ¾ cup for coating the fish)
½ cup rice flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ chili powder (or to taste)
12 oz beer - Dos Equis, Corona, Modelo, or Tecate
2- 3 cups Canola oil

For the tacos:

12 corn tacos
2 cups shredded cabbage (Napa and/or red cabbage)
½ cup each cilantro,
Sliced avocados
Limes quartered (for juice)
Sliced jalapeño pepper
¼ cup sliced scallions
4 oz or ½ cup crema or sour cream
2 oz or ¼ cup Bonnie’s Red Pepper Jelly
Taco sauce (tobacco or another)

Fish

Wash the fish and cut into approximately 3 inch pieces. In a bowl,mix the dry ingredients together and whisk in the beer. In another dish, place the flour for dusting.

Heat the oil until a bit of batter sizzles and turns brown fairly quickly
Coat each piece of fish with flour then dip into flour and beer batter and place into saucepan with hot oil. Cook for about 3 minutes and carefully turn the fish over and cook for another 3 – 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Final Assembly of Tacos:

In soft or crispy taco shells, place the fish and any or all of the remaining ingredients to fill the taco.

Mix crema or sour cream with Bonnie’s Red Pepper jelly and add as flavoring

Delicious with a cold beer, Margarita or limonata.