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My Fish Tacos

I have eaten more than my share of fish tacos while living in Baja. But the beach is a half-hour drive from my house, so I was on a mission to find a fish taco recipe that I could make at home—one that was as delicious and authentic as the taco they serve at my favorite Rosarito taco shack. This is what I came up with—and I’m happy to say it competes!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

Lemon Cream

1

/3 cup mayonnaise

1

/3 cup sour cream

1

/3 cup Mexican crema (see page 70) or additional sour cream

1

teaspoon grated lemon zest

2

tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fish

Oil, for frying

1

cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2

pounds skinless halibut fillet, cut into 5 x 1/2-inch strips

Beer Batter (page 50)

Twelve to sixteen 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed (see page 59)

2

cups shredded cabbage

Fresh Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa (page 183)

Canned pickled jalapeño chiles (optional)

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To make the lemon cream, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, and crema in a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water. Season the cream sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

    Step 2

    To cook the fish, add enough oil to a large skillet to reach a depth of 1 inch. Heat the oil to 350°F.

    Step 3

    Combine the flour and 1 teaspoon salt on a plate and mix to combine. Sprinkle the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper, and then coat them with the prepared flour.

    Step 4

    Working in batches, turn the floured fish pieces in the beer batter, coating them on both sides. Fry in the hot oil for 5 minutes, or until the fish is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

    Step 5

    Make tacos with the tortillas and fish, topping each with some of the lemon cream, shredded cabbage, tomatillo salsa, and pickled jalapeños if desired.

Fresh Mexico