Fish Tacos
/
Well, at long last I’m getting around to blogging the Circle B Kitchen fish taco. Not sure why it took me so long, oh wait, yes I do. It was the dang photo! Fish tacos do not like their photo taken. This is a proven fact. And here I was at the Circle B Kitchen Western Headquarters without my photography equipment, shooting this photo with my little Canon Sureshot. Great little camera, but not really up to this task. I finally gave up and ate the tacos. I think that’s what I was wanting to do all along anyway. But I really don’t recommend photographing fish tacos on an empty stomach. Not ever.
We started making fish tacos in the Circle B Kitchen about 10 years ago, soon after my son returned from a surfing trip to Mexico, raving about the fish tacos served on the beaches there. We’ve tweaked and adjusted and played with lots of variations, but this is our favorite version.
It really doesn’t seem to matter what kind of fish you use. I’ve used mahi mahi, halibut, cod, red snapper and a few others I can’t remember. I’m a little partial to the cod, but use whatever you like and is freshest. You can grill it, you can sauté it, you can bake it, but just don’t overcook it. Dry, chewy fish does not a good taco make.
So what does makes a good fish taco? A fresh corn tortilla (preferably homemade), moist, flavorful fish, yummy toppings and just enough saucy goodness that you need at least 2 napkins to clean up the drippings. Yes, a good fish taco should dribble down your arm and make a complete mess of things. Here’s the recipe for mine…
Fish Tacos
Serves 4
1 lb firm-flesh fish (cod is my favorite for this, but red snapper is great too)
1 large or 2 small roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 corn tortillas (preferably homemade or really fresh store-bought)
Condiments:
Tomatillo salsa (homemade or store-bought)
Quick and Easy Red Salsa (or your favorite store-bought)
Cabbage Slaw
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
3 tablespoons, chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Queso fresco Mexican cheese, crumbled
Avocado slices
Mexican Crema (or thin some sour cream with a little milk to a thick, pourable consistency)
If making your own, prepare your salsas. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over low heat and add the minced garlic. Saute for a couple of minutes until fragrant and remove from the heat. Add the chopped tomatoes. Set aside.
Heat your grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Rub the fish with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill until just opaque in the center or the fish begins to flake easily. Try not to overcook it. Remove from the grill and combine with the garlic and tomatoes. Keep warm.
Combine the shredded cabbage, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro and some salt and pepper. (Do not do this too far in advance as the cabbage gets soft very quickly).
When ready to assemble the tacos, heat a griddle or grill and place the tortillas on the heat, a few at a time just until soft and heated through. Remove them to a salad plate and place another plate on top of them to keep them warm.
To serve, either place the condiments out for everyone to assemble their own or you can assemble the tacos to be served and eaten.
To assemble your taco, place some fish in the tortilla, top with the cabbage, salsa, cheese, a drizzle of crema and avocado.
