Fish Tacos

For some time, I’ve wanted to re-create the fish tacos that I enjoy occasionally at a restaurant here in town. This recipe comes awfully close and although I may tweak it in the future, it provides a great starting point. And even if you don’t tweak it, these tacos are really delicious. The recipe at the end is “as is” – I’ll mention my proposed tweaks in the step by step directions.

This recipe is labor intensive, but it is not difficult. The first step is to cut the fish into chunks



and place into a glass dish. Cover with lime juice



and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (Here’s what I might change: lots of chunks of fish are time consuming to fry. I would soak whole fish filets instead of chunks; fry the filets and then cut up afterwards.) The next step is to make the chipotle dressing. Combine the chipotle pepper



adobo sauce,



mayo,



sour cream and milk in a food processor. Process until smooth and combined, then transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve the tacos.

Next, make the honey cumin glaze by combining the lime juice, honey,



oil and cumin



in a measuring cup. Whisk well until smooth



and all the ingredients are incorporated; set aside. Then, put the coleslaw in a bowl



and add the cilantro.



Set aside. When it’s time to fry the fish, set up the dipping “stations” – flour, egg, and panko. Put them close together for good efficiency!



Dip the fish in the flour,



then the egg,



then the panko.



Set each piece of fish aside on a plate until they’re all “dipped.”



When you’re ready to fry them, heat the oil in a large skillet until hot. Add the fish,



and cook for 2 minutes or until golden on the underside. Flip the fish over (a small fork works best for these chunks) and cook on the other side until coating is golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork.



Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and brush with the honey cumin glaze.



Add more oil to the skillet if necessary and fry the remaining fish. (Here’s another possible tweak: I think you could get good results by coating the fish and then baking at 400 or so for 10-15 minutes. That would certainly be healthier!)

If you’re using corn tortillas, fry them briefly on each side, or warm the flour tortillas in the microwave. Divide the coleslaw mixture among the tortillas, then drizzle with the chipotle dressing.



Top the coleslaw with the fish pieces



and drizzle with additional dressing.



Picture yourself along the boardwalk in a sunny Californian locale as you enjoy these delicious tacos!

Get more inspiration at Mouthwatering Mondays, Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table and Tasty Tuesday.


Fish Tacos
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into chunks
1/4 cup lime juice

1/3 cup lime juice
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. cumin

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 tsp. adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko crumbs
vegetable oil for frying

2 cups 3-color coleslaw blend
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
8 flour tortillas or 12 corn tortillas, warmed

Place the tilapia chunks in a flat dish and pour 1/4 cup lime juice over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

To make the chipotle dressing, place the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, chili, adobo sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.

Make the honey-cumin sauce by whisking together 1/3 cup lime juice, honey, vegetable oil, and ground cumin a small bowl. Set aside until needed.

To bread the fish, place the flour, eggs, and panko crumbs in three separate shallow dishes. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste. Dip the fish pieces first in the four, coating evenly, and shaking off any excess. Dip next in the eggs, and last in the panko crumbs, patting the pieces to help the breadcrumbs hold. Set the fish aside on a plate.

Pour several Tbsp. vegetable oil into a skillet and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the fish to the skillet and cook, turning until all sides are golden brown and flesh is easily flaked with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

Brush the fish with the honey-cumin sauce.

Mix the coleslaw and cilantro together in a bowl then divide among the tortillas. Drizzle with chipotle dressing and top with fish. Drizzle with additional dressing.