Fish tacos are elegant in their apparent simplicity. Whether they are good or great, however, is completely dependent on each of their components. Our friend, Cheryl Johnson, insisted that fish tacos be on our menu. As such, fish tacos were one of the first menu items we developed for the PumpHouse.
We agonized and tested the type of fish to be used, the perfect tortilla, the components of the slaw with its attendant dressing and the topping sauce. We tested various recipes repeatedly using our neighbors and friends as test subjects. We will be eternally grateful for those intrepid souls who ate so many fish tacos. We were fearful they might sprout gills.
It is widely believed that people who live along the coast of Mexico have been eating fish wrapped in corn tortillas for hundreds if not thousands of years. The fish tacos that we know today have a much more recent history.
Ensenada, Mexico is a port town on the Baja Peninsula. In the 1950s and 1960s, Japanese fishermen came to Ensenada and brought with them their technique of lightly battering angel shark and frying the meat. Locals looking for a crispier crust perfected a batter for deep frying. When this method of frying fish was married with Mexican toppings, the fish taco was born. They served this on a corn tortilla with purple cabbage, tomato salsa, crema, hot sauce and a slice of lime.
Soon, street vendors, operating from tiny stands in Ensenada and San Felipe began selling these tacos. They were quick and cheap and utterly delicious. It didn’t take long for the fish taco to creep north into San Diego and then to the rest of the country.
While angel shark, “angelito,” was originally used, and is still the preferred fish in Ensenada, many other varieties of firm white fish can be used. It is important that the fish be firm enough to not turn into mush during frying and can support the various toppings. You might want to try cod, yellowtail, redfish, haddock, flounder, or mahi-mahi. You can also experiment with clams, shrimp, calamari or even oysters.
Traditionally, corn tortillas are slightly charred on a Comal. I use a flat cast iron griddle or cast iron pan. Fresh tortillas are essential and thankfully, in our area, fresh tortillas are readily available. While not strictly traditional, I prefer using a tortilla made with a 50/50 mix of corn masa and flour. You can easily find these tortillas at local markets. To my taste, these tortillas stand up a little better and have a slightly better mouthfeel than straight corn tortillas.
The batter is a simple beer batter consisting of flour, beer, baking powder and spices. I use a variety of spices like cayenne pepper, white pepper, garlic powder (go light on the garlic powder, if you can actually taste it you have used too much) and Mexican oregano ground to a powder. Mexican oregano is an entirely different herb than the more common Mediterranean oregano. It is easy to find here and will soon become one of your “go-to” herbs. If you do not feel like concocting your own spice mixture, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning is a great alternative. Just make sure you add a little of that Mexican oregano.
To keep the fish from being “greasy” it is important to fry at a fairly high temperature. I fry at about 350 to 375 degrees using an oil with a high smoking point like peanut oil or canola oil.
The slaw is simply grated red and green cabbage. Sometimes I throw in a little grated carrot. The dressing is equally simple. It is equal parts of mayonnaise and crema, a touch of fresh lime juice and some hot sauce. My favorite hot sauce is Cholula, but Texas Pete is another good alternative. You might also try some chipotle in adobo.
A light avocado topping sauce is all that is needed to complete the dish. This is made with ripe avocado, milk and some lime juice. The lime juice adds a little sparkle and helps the avocado to retain its green color.
These are just the basics and you should feel free to add anything that strikes your fancy. Depending on my mood, I may add some pickled red onion, some minced jalapeno or serrano, diced tomato, cilantro, and some crumbled queso fresco. If you are feeling particularly chefy, you might whip up some mango and strawberry pico de gallo. This is made by substituting tomatoes with equal parts of chopped mango and strawberries.
While fried fish is traditional, grilled and baked fish are acceptable and may be slightly healthier alternatives. When Louise and I were faced with the decision of whether to offer fried or grilled fish tacos at the restaurant, we made the easy decision. We offer both.
March 24, 2021 at 03:00AM
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Dennis Patillo: The keys to excellent fish tacos - Victoria Advocate
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