Classic Baja Style Fish Tacos Recipes

BAJA-STYLE FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Marinate: Slice fish into 1-inch-thick pieces (about 2 ounces each). Place in a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt on all sides. Pour lime juice over the pieces and let rest while preparing the batter, 5-10 minutes.
• Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and beer until smooth. Whisk in baking powder, then add sambal, mustard, oregano, and salt, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Dredge, batter, and deep-fry: Place flour on a plate. Add oil to a pot and set over medium heat. Secure a thermometer to the pot's side and heat oil to 375 F. Remove fish from marinade, one piece at a time, and dredge in flour on both sides. Then dip in the batter, coat well, and carefully place into the hot oil. Repeat with one or two more pieces, working in batches to avoid crowding the pot. Fry until the fish is evenly cooked and golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer fish to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Assembly: Warm tortillas on a comal or skillet over low heat. While tortillas are heating, mix together mayonnaise and crème fraîche in a small bowl. Place a warm tortilla on a plate, and spread a dollop of mayo-crème sauce down the middle. Place a piece of fish on top of the sauce, followed by another spoonful of sauce. Add cabbage, an avocado slice or two, then finish with a spoonful of pickled red onions. Repeat assembly with remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

BAJA STYLE FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Mix tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, 1 tablespoon juice from jalapeno peppers, and garlic salt in a bowl; squeeze 1/2 lime over salsa fresca. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing fish.
• Toss coleslaw mix with ranch dressing in a bowl; set aside for flavors to blend.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir batter mix and beer together in a bowl. Wrap corn tortillas in wet paper towels and set aside.
• Dip cod in the batter mix; fry coated cod in batches in the hot oil until cod is cooked through and coating is brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove cod with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Microwave corn tortillas on high until warmed, about 1 minute.
• Stack two tortillas on a plate; top with fish, a sprinkle of Mexican cheese, coleslaw mixture, salsa fresca, and a squeeze from lime wedge. Drizzle with chile-garlic sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

BAJA STYLE FISH TACOS

Steps:

• For the Beer Batter:
• Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add in the beer while whisking. Set aside and let the batter rest for 15 minutes before using.
• For Cream Sauce:
• Add the mayonnaise and crema to a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (can be made 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated).
• For the Fish:
• In a large skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when inserted into the oil.
• On a large plate, combine the flour and salt. Season the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Working in batches, dip the fillets in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Make tacos with the tortillas and fish and top each with cream, shredded cabbage, tomatillo salsa and pickled jalapenos, if desired.
• *Cook's Note: Crack open a cold Mexican cerveza like a Negra Modelo or a 2 Equis (XX) Amber to make this tasty beer batter, which will change the way you think about fried fish! You can use it for vegetables, too.
• **Cook's Note: Mexican Crema is Mexico's version of creme fraiche and is found at many supermarkets and can easily be substituted with sour cream.

CLASSIC BAJA-STYLE FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Make the Batter:.
• Combine beer, flour, salt, garlic powder, dry mustard, oregano and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth, about 20 seconds.
• Transfer to a bowl and let stand, covered for 1 hour.
• Make the Sauce:.
• Stir together mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, chipotle and salt in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
• Fry the Fish:.
• Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Heat 2 inches oil in a 4 quart deep heavy saucepan until it registers 350°F on thermometer.
• Put flour in pie plate or shallow dish. Dredge 10 fish strips in flour, shake off excess, then coat in batter, letting excess drip off, and carefully drop in hot oil.
• Fry, stirring, until PALE golden, 2 or 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain.
• Repeat with the remaining fish (returning oil to 350 °F between batches).
• Set pan of oil aside.
• Heat the Tortillas and Refry The Fish:.
• Wrap tortillas in stacks of 6 in foil and heat in oven until hot, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove tortillas from foil and re-wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, reheat oil until it registers 375 degrees. Refry fish strips in batches of 10, stirring, until golden brown, 1 or 2 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain again.
• To Serve:.
• Stack two corn tortillas together, top with fish, cabbage, sauce and cilantro.
• Serve with lime and salsa on the side.

FISH TACOS - BAJA STYLE

Steps:

• Make the batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, garlic, cayenne, mustard,oregano, 1 teaspoons salt, and pepper until well blended. Stir in the beer until there are no lumps. (Batter may be made several hours ahead and refrigerated).
• Trim the fish of all blood lines, skin, and bones. Cut into pieces the size and shape of your index finger. Sprinkle with a few drops of lime juice and a little salt. (If not using immediately, wrap and refrigerate). Pour the oil into a deep, wide pan to a depth of 2 inches and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. I use a thermometer, or you can drop a bit of batter into the oil and it should rise up quickly surrounded by little bubbles.
• Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Check the thickness of the batter by dipping in one piece of the fish. The batter should be the consistency of medium-thick pancake batter, coating the fish easily but dripping very little. Add a little beer if the batter seems too thick.
• Add the fish to the batter. Using tongs or chopsticks, swish each piece to make sure it is thoroughly coated, then lift out of the batter, let it drip once, and lay the fish gently into the hot oil. Cook a few pieces at a time until they float and the batter is set but still very light in color. If a piece sticks to the bottom, leave it alone and it will release itself.
• Remove the fish to a rack to drain; reserve the frying oil. (The fish can be prepared ahead to this point, cooled on a rack, and refrigerated uncovered. Cool the oil and reserve).
• When you are ready to serve, reheat the oil to 350-360°F and refry the fish a few pieces at a time until crisp and golden brown.
• To serve, hold a tortilla in your hand and add a spoonful of guacamole. Top with fish and squeeze lime over the whole thing. Then add the secret sauce, salsa, shredded cabbage, cilantro and onion as desired.