Fried Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw & Chipotle Cream Sauce

 

By the mid 1960's your dad's Uncle Charles, Uncle Harold, Aunt Peggy, and Grandma had packed up and moved to Southern California (Sunland and Tujunga) due to his Grandfather's asthma.  Uncle Charles was a student at UNC-Chapel Hill during the 1957 NCAA Basketball Championship.  Aunt Peggy had a vacation house in Baja.  She's the one who wrote the Elkin High school song and was a very good high school and college cheerleader.   Aunt Peggy who owned a house in Baja would come back to visit and your dad would hang on her every word.  He often says that she was one of the best cooks he's every known.  He loved when she made authentic Mexican food since there was nowhere else to get it.  This recipe is our version of a Baja fish taco in honor of Aunt Peggy and all of her stories about Baja.

Chipotle Cream Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons each mayo, ranch, sour cream
• 1 tablespoon diced chipotle peppers (look in Mexican food isle, they are in a jar or can)

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate.

Cilantro Lime Slaw:

• 1/2 bag of tri-color slaw mix (in bagged salad area of the store)
• 1/4 cup (or more) of chopped cilantro  (buy a fresh cilantro bunch at the store for $1.50 and chop some up - find this where there lettuce, broccoli, etc are in produce)
• 1 tablespoon mayo or sour cream
• Juice of 2 large limes
• pinch of salt and pepper

To make the slaw:  mix lime juice, mayo, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Mix cilantro into slaw and then mix in the dressing you made.  Taste it to see if you need more lime juice.  It doesn't need to be very creamy like regular slaw since it goes on tacos.  Refrigerate.

Seasoned Flour for fish:

1-1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg

1/2 cup water or milk

peanut oil (or canola)

Mix all seasonings into the flour with a fork in one shallow dish.  Mix egg and milk or water in another shallow dish with a fork or whisk. 

Preparation of Fish:

For this recipe, I used 1 pound of fresh, local grouper and corn tortillas.

• Cut fish into fingers (to fit in a taco).
• Dip each finder in egg wash and then coat well in seasoned flour and set on a plate.
• Add enough oil  to a deep pan so that when you drop the fish into the oil, they will be covered 1/2 way.
• Heat oil to high heat.
• Using tongs, carefully drop in 4-5 fingers into the oil.  Don't over crowd the pan of it will lose too much heat to fry well.
• Turn the fish fingers over, back and forth, during cooking.  Fry for about 3 minutes total or until you see them getting crisp and light brown.
• Remove the fried fish fingers to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off excess oil.
• Repeat until all fingers are fried.

To Assemble Tacos:

• Warm your tortillas first in the oven or a pan with a little oil spray.
• Spread a little guacamole on each tortilla .
• Place a piece of fish or two on top of the guac.
• Drizzle chipotle cream sauce over taco.
• Top with cilantro lime slaw.