Taco Tuesday's - Fish Tacos with Purple Slaw and Chipotle Crema

Feeds 2 (Slaw and Crema will feed about 5, or 2 for many days)

This week for Taco Tuesday I decided to tackle, quite possibly, my favorite of all tacos: The Fish Taco. The classic fish taco consists of fried fish, a mango salsa and some sort of creme sauce. My fish taco doesn't stray too far from the classic, but to be fair, this is my interpretation of the fish taco.  This taco is not hard to make, and if the frying of the fish intimidates you, you can also grill or broil the fish (if you decide to nix the fry you may want to add a crunchy texture, e.g. crumbled tortilla chips). A crema is a creamy sauce much like creme freche or sour cream. You can substitute pretty much any neutral creme based product such as mayonnaise, yogurt etc. I enjoy the sour bite that the mix of sour cream and greek yogurt to cut the spice of the chipotle.

Ingredients:

1 pound tilapia (any fish will do but a firm fish fries quite well)

corn tortillas (I suggest These)

vegetable oil for frying 

1 lime cut to half moons for garnish

1 bunch radish cut for garnish

1 cup fish dredge (I used Dons Chuck Wagon)

For the Purple Cabbage Slaw:

1/2 head of purple cabbage chopped fine into strips

1 medium sized red onion minced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped

1 jalepeno minced

1 large mango diced

1/4 cup white vinegar

juice of 1 lime

s+p to taste

For the Chipotle Crema

1 7 oz can chipotles

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup greek style yogurt

juice of half a lime

1 tbsp white vinegar

2 tsp agave nectar (honey will do too)

1 tbsp cayenne (omit if sensitive to heat)

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp coriander

s+p to taste

Instructions:

First chop your purple cabbage, red onion, jalapeno, cilnatro and mango. Place in bowl and mix in vinegar and lime juice. Set aside, stirring periodically. You will notice liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl, this is good, stir up your slaw and the cabbage will start breaking down and flavors will begin to mingle.

While your slaw is mingling, put you chipotle, sour cream, greek yogurt, lime juice, vinegar, agave nectar and spices in your blender and blend till smooth. It is important to taste your crema after youve blended it, and if its too spicy add more creme or yogurt. Too mild add more chipotle or cayenne. You get the point. Once crema is to taste put in fridge to cool.

Keep giving your slaw the occasional stir and now you're ready to prep your fish. Cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces and toss with s+p. If your slaw has reduced down and is tasting might fine its time to fry your fish. 

Pour 1 to 2 inches of oil in your pan and set to medium heat ( you want to be frying at 375c but if you do not have a thermometer just keep the pan from smoking and fry in small batches. You can also just pan fry the fish with a little oil and it will still be delicious). Mix your fish dredge with 1/2 cup water and whisk till the batter drips off the spoon. Once your oil is hot dredge your fish and drop it into your oil. While frying you fish heat up your tortillas (I throw them on a hot pan for a few minutes) The fish should only take 2-3 minutes per side. Once done place on a paper towel to rest. 

When your fish is done, it's time to assemble your tacos. Start with some fish, then slaw and finally the crema. Garnish with lime and radish. Nosh (preferably with tequila).

Nosh Hard. Nosh Burlington.

Taco Tuesday's-Quick Steak Tacos with Toasted Pepitas

Feeds 2

To start off the weekly Taco Tuesday post, I am starting with a simple, but flavorful steak taco. With the addition of a few non-standard ingredients, you can bring this crowd pleasing taco to the next level. These additions are about texture, just as much as they are about taste. The pico de gallo is amped up with the addition of jicama. Jicama is a vegetable often used in Mexican cooking which has a texture right in between and potato and pear. Jicama has also been likened to an apple, so whatever texture it has for you, it is a great vegetable and a good addition to your salsa arsenal. To top your tacos, I call for toasted pepitas. Pepitas are pumpkin seeds that have been taken out of their respective shells. You can buy these in the bulk section of most grocery stores, or if you have a spare hour or two, buy some pumpkins and get working. To toast the seeds, simply put them in a dry skillet on high heat for a minute or two, flipping occasionally until nicely browned.

Ingredients:

1 pound steak small cubed ( I used chuck tenderloins, but any will do)

1 large sweet potato

1 large onion

6-7 cloves garlic

1/2 jicama

1 jalapeno

bunch cilantro

corn tortillas

2 limes (more if you have tequilal)

bunch radish

1 cup Coritijo cheese ( this is a hard mexican cheese, likened to feta)

For the Steak Marinade:

1/2 cup tomato juice

1/2 zest of a lime

1tbsp salt

1tbsp cayenne

1tbsp oregano

2 tbsp cumin

4 cloves garlic

1/4 cup cilantro
*I whipped together these tacos in an hour or so but if you can let your marinade sit overnight you will have a better flavor.

Instructions:

Chop your steak into bite sized pieces and mix steak with marinade in a container, put in fridge to marinate.

When you meat has marinated to your liking peel and cut your sweet potato into 1/4'' half moons. Toss with oil s+p and put on a sheet tray into a 350 oven for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Chop your onion, tomato, garlic,  jicama, jalapeno and jicama, place in bowl. Add to your vegetable mixture the juice of one lime. Add s+p to taste. Put aside. Cut your radish into circles and lime into wedges. Garnish each taco with lime and radish.

By now your potato should have about 10 minutes left, so toast your pepitas and get a pan smokin hot for your meat. 

When your pan is smoking hot add your meat in stages, about 1/3 at time. You dont want to add all your meat at once and lose the pans heat, thus preventing you from getting a good sear on the meat. Once you're on your last round of meat, start heating up the tortillas. 

My favorite way to do this is right on the open flame for a few seconds a side, but this could prove dangerous for some so you can always do them in the oven or in a pan. Take of your meat and begin constructing your tacos. For optimal crunch layer follow this order: potato, meat, pico, cheese finally topping with pepitas. Nosh.