Who doesn’t love fresh fish tacos? The combination of salty fried fish, crunchy cabbage, and refreshing Baja sauce all gathered into a corn tortilla is a classic! Well I have to confess that in my own household of selective eaters with diverse dietary choices, we all love the concept of fish tacos, but they need a lot of tweaking in order to accommodate everyone. Hence, my favorite way to serve dinner comes into play again – the deconstructed, shareable platter! When you take a meal concept and serve up all the components for family members to make their own plates from the offerings, it’s a fun non-pressured twist on a traditional recipe.

Since not everyone in my family eats traditional fish like cod or tilapia, I use an array of proteins (including banana blossoms for my vegetarian husband, which mimics the consistency of fish!), and then offer up a bunch of traditional fish taco elements plus more. That way, everyone can customize what they want, or even eat them “deconstructed” on the plate. Here’s my basic recipe for a fluffy beer-batter (it’s easier than you think!) you can use for any protein you want to fry up, as well as component ideas for your own DIY fish taco board!

 

Crispy “Fish Taco” Batter:

·       one cup plain flour

·       one tablespoon baking powder

·       one cup cold beer of your choice (the cooking process burns out the alcohol so beer battered fish is family-friendly!

·       protein of your choice (cod, haddock, and tilapia work well for fish tacos. You can use raw shrimp as well. For vegetarians, try drained banana blossoms, which you can find in any Asian supermarket in a can. Their consistency mimics the texture of fish when fried)!

·       vegetable oil, for frying

·       salt, to taste

 

1.     Mix flour and baking powder together in large bowl. Chill beer in fridge.

2.     Meanwhile, heat a quart or so (or 3-4 inches high) of oil in your wok, Dutch oven, large saucepan, or fryer until it’s around 350 degrees, or when it sizzles when you test it with a pinch of water.

3.     Pour beer into flour, whisking until fully incorporated and smooth.

4.     Dunk fish (or other protein) into batter and carefully place in hot oil, turning with spatula and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

*Note: Frying your fish or other protein should be your last step before serving. Whether you are assembling traditional fish tacos or making a shareable platter, prepare everything else in advance and serve fish hot after draining.

 

Make-Your-Own Fish Taco Board Ideas to Include:

·       warmed corn tortillas

·       crispy fried fish (or other proteins)

·       Baja sauce or chipotle mayo

·       lime slices

·       shredded red cabbage

·       cilantro rice

·       sliced radish

·       sour cream

·       crumbled Cotija cheese or queso fresco

·       avocado slices

·       pickled red onions

·       tomatoes

·       diced jalapenos

·       fresh chopped cilantro

·       pineapple chunks

 

The possibilities are really endless. Enjoy!