Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos

For the salsa:

3 medium tomatoes, about 8 ounces each

1 fresh jalapeño pepper

2 quarts water

3 cloves garlic

1 8-ounce white onion

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, weighing about 2 ounces.

Kosher salt to taste

For the sauce:

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

For the fish:

1 pound white fish filet cut into 1-inch wide strips

1/2 cup corn meal

1/2 – 1 teaspoon salt – to taste – see note below

1 tablespoon chili powder

For the tacos:

1/2 head green cabbage shredded , about 4 cups

2 tomatoes, diced

8 6-inch soft flour tortillas

2 limes, quartered

Begin by making the salsa. Place the whole tomatoes and the jalapeño pepper in a 4-quart sauce pot with 2 quarts water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the tomatoes and pepper for 10 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and jalapeño from the pot and chill in a bowl of ice water for 2 or 3 minutes.

Peel the tomatoes using a sharp knife. The skin should fall off easily. Cut the top off the jalapeño and discard. Remove the pepper’s seeds because they contain most of the heat.

Place the tomatoes and the jalapeño in the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic, the white onion and the fresh cilantro and purée until the mixture is smooth. Season the salsa with kosher salt to taste and pour into a bowl. Set aside.

Make the sauce for the fish tacos. Mix together the sour cream, milk, lemon juice, onion powder, granulated garlic, oregano, kosher salt and black pepper in a bowl. Set aside until ready to assemble the tacos.

Prepare the fish. Place the cut strips of fish in a large bowl and toss gently with the corn meal, kosher salt and chili powder. Place the strips on a baking sheet in one layer and place on the middle rack of a preheated 400-degree oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until the fish strips are just cooked through.

Remove the fish strips from the oven and begin assembling the tacos. Do this in the kitchen or bring all the fixings out to the dinner table and encourage your guests to make their own.

Here’s how:

Pick up a tortilla and lay it in the palm of your hand. With the other hand, spoon 1 tablespoon of dressing onto the tortilla and spread out.

Top with about a 1/4-cup of shredded cabbage, or enough to lightly cover the dressing. Follow with a strip or two of the cooked fish. Drizzle on 1 teaspoon of the sour cream dressing, 1 tablespoon of diced tomatoes and 1tablespoon salsa.

Fold or roll the taco wrapper into a neat cylinder. Squeeze some lime juice onto the taco and enjoy. Makes eight soft tacos.

Note: this recipe used to call for 2 tablespoons of salt on the fish coating, after an email from Connie I decided to change it to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon because “The whole mix with the sauce and the cabbage and everything was delicious, but the fish was so salty no one had seconds. Just thought I’d run that by you in case it was a typo.

We will make the tacos again, however, with just that minor adjustment.”

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