How to Make Fish Tacos

Producers Note: We experienced some technical difficulties during this shoot, so please forgive the f’d up sound that starts about halfway through this episode.

Here’s how to make fish tacos that are totally delish. I am an eye-baller by nature so I estimated (very closely) most of these measurements so’s to make it with an even one pound of fish flesh. Probably that’s super duper frustrating if you’re a hardcore perfectionist but not to worry, because if that’s you, you probably don’t have anyone to cook for anyway. For the rest of us, here’s the recipe, just floating free like a kite in the sky, ready for you to add a pinch more of this and a dash more of that. Hopefully you feel comfortable enough to play with all these recipes but if not, if you are a new cook and a nervous nellie, just follow this for now. It will be really really good. But I’ll get you loosened up eventually.

If you do get jazzy with this recipe, write me and let me know what you did differently. I find that sort of thing appealing.

Delish Fish Tacos Recipe

For the fish:

• 1 lb any white fish (tilapia, cod, even shark!)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 t anise seed, crushed
• 1/2 t black pepper, crushed
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 cup (heaped, not leveled) cornmeal
• 2 T vegetable oil (might need 3 to coat a large skillet)

For the toppin’:

• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1/4 c chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced (use more if you want it hotter; remove seeds if you want it less hotter)
• 1 lime (should give you about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 t salt
• 1-2 T mayonnaise (start with one, add more if you feel like it)

For fish: Combine spices and cornmeal. Cut fish into 8 even-sized pieces and roll in cornmeal mixture. Set it aside while you make the toppin’ and the cornmeal will adhere better when you cook it. When you’re ready to cook: Heat your skillet up real good on high heat and add the oil. Let that heat up a minute. Put in the fish and let it set still for about 3 minutes. When you can lift it easily and it doesn’t stick, flip it and turn your heat down to medium-high. Cook another 3 minutes until you cut one open and it’s not raw, it should be opaque white, not transluscent pink-white.

For toppin’: Combine vegetables with lime juice and salt. Mix it up good. Add mayonnaise right before serving.

Heat up tortillas on the stove. I like corn. You might like flour. If your tortillas are kinda dried out, sprinkle a little water on them and then heat them up.

Eat em.