Tacos de Pescado Estilo Ensenada

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 4-quart pot or wide cast iron skillet for frying
• •Deep-fry or candy thermometer
• •Cast iron comal for warming tortillas
• •Wire rack set over a sheet pan for draining
• •Kitchen spider or slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut and dry the fish

   Pat the fish strips dry with paper towels and lay them on a plate in a single layer. Wet fish does not batter. The flour will slide off and you will end up with greasy strips and bare fish. Refrigerate the strips while you build the rest of the dish.

   Pacific cod is the original Ensenada fish for this taco. If you can get fresh rock cod or halibut from a Baja or Pacific source, even better. Stay away from tilapia. Wrong texture, wrong heritage.
2. 2

   Make the crema-mayo

   In a small bowl, whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, lime juice, and salt until smooth. Taste it. It should be tangy and loose enough to drizzle off a spoon. If it is too thick, thin it with a teaspoon of cold water. This sauce is non-negotiable on an Ensenada fish taco. Without it the cabbage is dry and the fish has nothing to lean on. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble.

3. 3

   Mix the batter

   In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, the cornstarch, salt, oregano, ground chile de arbol, garlic powder, and black pepper. Make a well in the center. Pour in the beaten egg and the ice-cold beer. Whisk just until smooth. The batter should coat the back of a spoon and slowly drip off in a thick ribbon. Do not overwork it. The cold beer and the gentle hand are what give the batter its lightness. No me vengas con atajos.

   The beer must be cold from the refrigerator, not room temperature. The contrast between cold batter and hot oil is what creates that lacy, blistered crust the carretas in Ensenada are famous for.
4. 4

   Heat the oil

   Pour the oil into a heavy 4-quart pot or wide cast iron skillet to a depth of at least 2 inches. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 360F. If you do not have a thermometer, drop a small piece of bread in. It should brown in 30 seconds. Too cool and the batter absorbs oil and turns greasy. Too hot and the outside burns before the fish cooks. La temperatura es la receta.

5. 5

   Dredge and batter

   Spread the remaining 1/4 cup flour on a plate. Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge a fish strip lightly in the flour, shake off the excess, then dip it fully into the batter, letting the excess drip off for a second. The flour gives the batter something to grip. Skip it and the batter slides off in the oil.

6. 6

   Fry in batches

   Lower the battered fish into the hot oil one piece at a time, away from you. Fry 4 or 5 strips at once, do not crowd the pot, the oil temperature drops and the batter goes soggy. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes total, turning once, until the crust is deep gold and the fish flakes when poked with a fork. Lift them out with a spider and drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Never on paper towels. Paper towels trap steam under the crust and ruin it. Salt the fish lightly the moment it comes out of the oil.

7. 7

   Warm the tortillas

   Heat a comal or heavy skillet over medium-high. Warm the corn tortillas one or two at a time, about 20 seconds per side, until they are pliable and lightly toasted in spots. Stack them in a clean cloth servilleta as you go to keep them soft and warm. Cold tortillas crack and fight the taco. Warm tortillas hold the fish.

8. 8

   Build the taco

   Lay a warm tortilla flat on a plate. Place a piece of fried fish across the center. Top with a generous handful of shredded cabbage. Drizzle with the crema-mayo. Squeeze a lime wedge over the top. Add a spoon of salsa de chile de arbol if you want heat, and a few rings of pickled jalapeno on the side. Eat it standing up, the way they do at the carretas on Avenida Lopez Mateos. Asi se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •Pacific cod is the Ensenada fish. If your fishmonger does not have it, ask for rock cod, ling cod, or halibut. Anything firm, white, and from cold Pacific water. Tilapia is a freshwater fish from the wrong ecosystem and it does not belong in this taco. A substitution is a compromise, not an upgrade.
• •The corn tortilla is the rule. The flour tortilla is a Sonora and Sinaloa birthright, but Baja's fish taco is corn. Do not switch them. Cada estado, su propia cocina.
• •Frying in lard instead of vegetable oil deepens the flavor and gives the crust a slightly nuttier finish. La manteca es el sabor. The carretas in Ensenada that still fry in lard are the ones with the lines down the block.
• •Make the crema-mayo and the salsa ahead of time. The frying happens fast and you do not want to be whisking sauces while the oil is up to temperature.

Advance Preparation

• •The crema-mayo can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. The flavor sharpens overnight as the lime and salt settle in.
• •The cabbage can be shredded and held in cold water in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours before serving. Drain and pat dry before using.
• •The batter must be made fresh, immediately before frying. It cannot be made ahead. Cold beer and a light hand are the whole point. A batter that has been sitting loses its lift.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 425g)