Crispy Fish Tacos

Cinco de Mayo is almost here and I thought it would be the perfect occasion to share my favorite fish taco recipe. 

I first fell in love with fish tacos when I went to Mexico a few years ago. We went to the BEAUTIFUL state of Oaxaca and then we made our way to Veracruz where I had the most amazing crispy fish tacos. 

I had to ask the lady who was making the tacos, "Cual es el secreto para el taco de pezcado perfecto?"  (what's the secret to the perfect fish taco?) She smiled, probably thinking no way lady, I won't tell you. But after a while she said, "All right,  here it is, very simple: Add a little bit of corn starch to the batter".  Uh? Really? She probably didn't give it all away but that tip definitely helped. I don't normally cook with cornstarch but there is no way I'm making these tacos without it. They really do come out super crispy and the fish remains moist and soft.

The corn salad is a beautiful addition. You can eat it on the side or just add it to the tacos. I also made chipotle mayo which gives them a fantastic smoky flavor without being overwhelmingly spicy. 

If you are having a party this weekend and need a dessert, head over this tres leches recipe, it never disappoints.  

Ingredients:

for the corn salad

3 ears fresh corn, husked with silks removed

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

olive oil to drizzle over the salad

the juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Heat grill to high and grill the corn until charred on all sides. When ready, remove the kernels with a sharp knife. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, cover and set aside until needed. 

chipotle mayonnaise

1 cup of mayonnaise

3 chipotles in adobo 

the juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Puree all the ingredients in a food processor. Season to taste.

For the Tacos

3 fish fillet (I used tilapia) Cut into strips 

I got 4 strips per fillet.

salt and pepper

the batter

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup corn starch

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1 1/2 to 2 cups beer (I used corona)

salt and pepper

corn tortillas

red cabbage, finely shredded

vegetable oil for frying

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, corn starch, cayenne pepper salt and pepper. Add the beer and whisk until smooth. The mix should look like a pancake batter (on the thicker side). In a skillet, add vegetable oil about to 2-inches deep and heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Season the fish with salt and pepper, dip the fish strips into the batter and carefully place in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. To assemble the tacos place one piece of fried fish in a warm tortilla and garnish with cabbage, chipotle mayonnaise and corn salad. Serve immediately.