Tacos and Tequila

I love tacos. LOVE. I could eat them all day everyday. I’m a V.I.P. customer at Taqueria in Jersey City, a local authentic Mexican dive. Tacos will always be my first choice and will undoubtedly be my last meal. My favorite are crispy fish with spicy chipotle mayo. Add a little tequila to the mix and I’m a very happy gal. Since I’m always looking for an excuse to eat tacos, Cinco de Mayo seemed like the perfect incentive to do a little recipe tasting, I mean testing.

And the results are in. This was, hands down, some of the best fried fish I’ve ever eaten in my life! The beer batter was light and crispy without being oily. The chipotle mayo is so delicious, you’re going to want to slather it on everything. The pickled red onions and shredded cabbage gave just the right amount of tang and texture. If you love fried fish tacos, you’re going to love this recipe! I also made a simple taqueria style guacamole that did the job.

Two things before we get this party started. Number one: You’re going to need a heavy duty pot for frying, as well as a thermometer to manage the temperature. Number two: Your house will smell like fish for a good two days. Scrubbing your kitchen clean after it’s all said and done will help manage the smell, but this recipe requires an I-would-do-anything-for-a-crispy-fish-taco kind of commitment. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Crispy Fish Tacos

cod, cut into 1 1/2 inch strips
salt + pepper
32 oz canola oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
small corn tortillas, warmed
cabbage, shredded
cilantro
lime wedges, for serving

Beer Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour
salt + pepper
1 bottle of Corona Extra (actually, it’s just shy of a bottle, so enjoy the last sip!)

Salt and pepper the fish, then dip each piece in flour. Set aside. To make the beer batter, combine flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the beer. Let sit ten minutes before you start frying.

Bring the oil to 350 degrees F°. Working in batches, dredge each piece of fish in the batter, and carefully add to the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot. Fry for six minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Chipotle Mayo

1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 oz sour cream
3 chipotle peppers
1 tsp salt
juice of 1 lime

In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients. Mix until smooth. Adjust salt to taste.

Pickled Red Onions

1 red onion, sliced into rounds
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Whisk the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the onion slices and toss to coat. Let sit for an hour at room temperature, tossing occasionally. Drain and serve.

Taqueria Guacamole

4 ripe avocados
2 tsp salt
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
juice of 2 limes
chopped cilantro, to taste

Scoop out the avocado flesh and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

It’s so satisfying to make something you love to eat! I could literally go on and on (and on) about how delicious these are, but you’ll just have to make them and try them yourself. Happy Cinco de Mayo, my friends. May it be full of tacos and tequila.