Baja Style Fish Tacos & Cabbage Cucumber Slaw With Heirloom Salsa
Holy mole. Okay so these fish tacos are bangin–and crispy, a bit spicy, and a whole lot of refreshing. Alright, so maybe that wasn’t the best sentence of all time…but the taco speaks for itself so here we go.
This recipe definitely has a few moving parts, but I promise its SO worth it. I’ve been dreaming of the perfect fish taco recipe for quite some time now. I think fish tacos are probably the one food I would never get sick of–I could eat them all the time.
I personally am a fan of slaw that gels slightly together. I like it to feel dressed and completely solidified in flavor–so therefor I like to make the slaw first and I let it gel in the fridge while I assemble the rest of the recipe.
To make this recipe paleo and gluten free, substitute the all purpose flour with 1/2 cup cassava flour and 2 tbsp arrowroot flour. Instead of beer, you can use 1/2 cup of cold topo chico.
Ingredients
For the slaw (If you prefer. a more traditional coleslaw-type slaw, try this recipe!)
1 small green cabbage
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup greek yogurt
juice of one lime
2 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion salt
pinch of pepper
For the heirloom salsa
2 medium heirloom tomatoes
1/2 red onion
2 cloves garlic
large handful cilantro
juice of one lime
1 tsp hot crushed calabrian chili peppers
For the battered fish
1 1/2 lbs rock cod
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups ice cold beer
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2-4 tbsp avocado oil for frying
For the secret sauce
1 cup greek yogurt
juice of 1 lime
zest of 1 lime
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic salt
pinch of salt + pepper
1 tbsp garlic oil
1 large clove garlic
your favorite tortillas
Optional toppings
6 scallions, chopped and charred (wash and chop scallions into small pieces, transfer to a hot skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook over medium until they start to brown and slightly char. Remove from heat and sprinkle over tacos.)
queso fresco
lime juice
jalapeno slices
fresh cilantro
avocado slices
Start by making the slaw. Alternatively, if you’re into a more traditional coleslaw, try this recipe!
Chop the cabbage, onion and cucumber into thin strips. Add to a large mixing bowl. Then combine the remaining ingredients, stirring until everything is evenly combined and coated. Cover the mixture and place it in the fridge. The acid from the limes and vinegar with help to slightly weaken the texture of the cabbage making it a bit easier to digest.
For the salsa, chop all the ingredients roughly and then add them to a food processor. You can also do this in a blender, or by hand–if by hand just make sure to chop everything finely. Combine everything in the food processor and pulse–the consistency should be slightly chunky.
The secret sauce here is a real game changer. Simply combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until a smooth texture is created.
Next, prep the batter. Combine the dry ingredients and whisk until evenly mixed. While whisking, slowly pour in the beer. The batter should resemble pancake batter–it should be runny, yet have a bit of hold to it. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes while you prep the fish.
Heat a skillet over medium heat with 2 tbsp avocado oil.
Clean the fish gently with cold water. Then slice it gently into 1-inch thick strips. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and put it back into the fridge.
Once the skillet is hot–you can test it by wetting your fingers and carefully flicking water into the pan, if it sizzles your pan is ready!
Gently coat 1/2 the fish pieces in the batter and place onto the hot skillet. The key to a successful fry is making sure everything in the pan has enough breathing room. Don’t overcrowd the pan, otherwise things might get a bit messy. Fry each side until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per slide). Once cooked, transfer the fish to a second paper towel-lined plate to drain from excess oil while you cook the remaining fish.
When all your fish is fried, then its time to assemble your tacos! I loveee a good char on my tortilla so I head mine over the flame on the stove right before I’m about to serve.
Enjoy!!
