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!
