Baja 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.

Cilantro Lime Slaw:

• 1/2 bag trim-colored slaw mix
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine
• juice of 1 1/2 limes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate.

Chipotle Cream Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped 
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate.

Basic Beer Batter:

• 16 oz good beer (I use Dos XX amber)
• 2 cups all purpose flour

Gradually whisk the beer into the flour.  Set aside until ready.

Seasoned Flour:

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

Mix all ingredients together.

Preparation of Fish:

For this recipe, I used 1 pound of fresh, local mahi mahi and freshly made corn tortillas from Los Hermanos 

• First, salt the fish on both sides and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Use a paper towel to wipe off the salt and access moisture from the fish. 
• Add enough oil to a deep pan so that when you drop the fish into the oil, they will be fully covered.
• Heat oil to high before starting.  (135 degrees if using a thermometer)
• Cut mahi into similarly sized fingers.
• Dredge fingers into the seasoned flour, shake off access flour and drop into beer batter, shaking bowl to make sure fingers are completely coated.
• Using tongs, carefully drop in 4-5 fingers into the oil.
• Turn the fish fingers over, back and forth, during cooking.  Fry for about 3 minutes or until you see them getting crisp and light brown.
• Remove the fried fish fingers to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Repeat until all fingers are fried.

To Assemble Tacos:

• Warm your tortillas first in the oven or a pan.
• (optional) Spread a spoonful of guacamole to the center of each tortilla .
• Place a piece of fish or two on top of the guac.
• Top fish with cilantro lime slaw.
• Drizzle chipotle cream sauce over taco.