Fish Tacos

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drewdizzle

25+ Posts
So, I make some mean fish tacos but have recently come up short with appropriately complimentary sides. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas besides just the generic refried beans and rice.

Also, if you have any success stories on your own version of fish tacos, I'm all ears. I use tilapia - I know some prefer mahi mahi. I do it both breaded and not; marinate the filets in lime, garlic, and green chilies for at least an hour. I make a couple of sauces: a spicy ranch and a from-scratch spicy cream sauce (not ranch-based). Obviously there's a lot of basil and cilantro, too. That's about as specific as I'm willing to get!
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all fish tacos must have cabbage/slaw.

I don't use measurements, but i'll give you some kickass ingredients for slaw. mix to taste.

cabbage
celery seed
shredded red onions
mayo
cider vinegar
pureed chipotle peppers/adobo sauce from a can
fresh squeezed lemon juice
salt & pepper

it's actually the only cole slaw I like.

for my fish, I cut up some mild white fish, preferably snapper, if reasonably priced. then, i take it and bread it (flour, then egg) then finally in pre-processed, pre-seasoned crushed corn tortilla crumbs you can get at the store. fry in a couple of inches of corn or canola oil.

just to with some fresh cilantro, maybe some fresh japs, and a squeeze of lime. they are a staple at my house and always requested when we have people over.
 
Blackened Mahi Mahi with roasted Poblano peppers and sauted onions is my fish taco preference. Sides? Who cares when you have great tacos to eat? OK, how about charro beans and a salad? Makes for a healthy meal.
 
Charro Beans

1 pound dried pinto beans
8 cups water
6 bacon strips, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
4 fresh jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 12 oz can beer (optional)
1/2 chicken bullion cube (optional)
salt

Sort the beans to remove any foreign objects and bad or broken beans. Place beans in a large pot, cover with water, and soak overnight. Drain water and add 8 cups fresh water. Bring to a boil and simmer beans for 1 1/2 hours. Add water, if necessary, to keep beans covered.

Fry bacon until about half cooked, not crisp. Remove bacon and add to pot. Sauté onions and peppers in bacon grease until partially cooked. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Add onions, peppers, garlic, and tomatoes to pot and simmer for 1 hour. Add cilantro and cumin and simmer for 30 minutes. Add room temperature beer and return to simmer or add chicken bullion (optional). Salt to taste.

Serves 6.
 
My fish tacos -- grilled salmon with mango salsa.

The salsa is just a couple of mangos, half a chopped onion, a roasted poblano, some cilantro, and a little lime juice.

Wrap it all in a wheat tortilla.
 
No fish taco is complete without chipotle lime tequila mayo:

Juice of one lime
1 oz. tequila
Small jar of mayo
A couple TBS of chipotle peppers adobo sauce
 
Mahi Mahi?

Salmon?!?

Holy moley you guys!

Marinate catfish filets for an hour or so in:
soy, (actually kecap manis, a very thick sweet soya),
hot sauce, (I use a homemade brew of habanero, ginger and garlic that a buddy makes for it's "curative powers"),
salt and pepper.

Get your grill good and hot. I use a Lodge cast iron camp stove and oil it before putting on the filets.

Takes a couple of minutes per side. Flip with a fish spatula or just an extra wide spat. It takes some practice, but it's doable.

Serve with chipotle slaw. Maybe some habanero/mango salsa. I like these on corn tortillas, but suit yourself.




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boracho beans

1 package HEB fresh salsa-- simmer in oilve oil
add a beer
2 cans drained beans
meat is you want-- chorizo, sausage, or taco meat

let it go on low 30 minutes-- everyone will love it

for something different-- serve stewed tomatos with mexican spices or I like baking tomatos--like on the grill in a pan with onion , olive oil and cilantro
 
my HEB was serving fish tacos the other day-- they had some spread for sale that you put in the slaw although I can't remember the name-- I'll look on my next trip-- really good and they were using fish sticks to boot-- not even good ingredients-- their point- if these are good with fishsticks, imagine using fresh fish-- honestly they were better than the ones I had at Joes crabshack
 
Anyone know how Cabo's fixes theirs? I used to love those when I lived in Houston...hmm...never had one sober though, so they might not be that great. They were fantastic hile hammered, though.
 
I'm trying to work the recipe up. I don't measure, so I have no idea how much. I may just list ingredients. I think for most of y'all, an ingredient list should get you going.
 
That is a great charro/barracho bean recipe there. I only use 2 jalapenos though because I add a serano and a poblano for what I think gives it a fuller flavour.

Next, I have to say, why would you ever say refried beans and rice are 'generic' Rice and beans are the two basic staples for food around the world. Nothing can beat great rice and beans (from varous countries I would argue)

In conclusion.... I love Mexican food (including ceviche), but I have never understood fish tacos. I guess I just don't get the concept at all. I also don't understand putting Mayo within 10 feet of a tortilla. Man that just hurts my tastebuds. Someone is going to have to explain this concept to me. I love fish, and Mexican, and several 'fusion' foods, but I just don't 'get' fish tacos.
 
Anyone ever been to Wahoos on 6th? I frequented one in Denver several years ago. They had amazing blackend fish tacos...

The thing that stands out in my mind most is theircilantro lime rice served with salsa fresca and black beans. I never could figure out how to replicate either their rice or beans but both go great with blackened fish tacos.

In conclusion, I have nothing to offer other than the suggestion of cilantro lime rice and black beans to eat with fish tacos.
 
I use a rip-off of Fuzzy's Tacos with shredded lettuce mixed with garlic, lime juice, & cilantro. Not as wet as a slaw, but you can make up for that with salsa and/or sour cream.
 
In a plastic tupperware or similar bowl with a lid, combine:

2 Cups of finely shredded cabbage, (I've used Napa, purple and regular with fine results),
1/2 Cup of shredded carrots
1/4 Cup of finely diced onion
3 Cloves of minced fresh garlic
1 tsp of finely minced fresh cilantro, (or parsley, or basil)
1 tsp of good quality virgin olive oil
splash of vinegar, (Balsamic, rice wine, red wine, etc)
S & P to taste
(sometimes I will also add a bit of minced bell pepper, jalapeno, etc.)

Snap the lid into place
Give the whole bowl a vigorous shake to mix the ingredients well.
Refrigerate for at least an hour or two.

This will work on fish tacos, carnitas tacos, chicken tacos, or as a side for just about anything.

(disclaimer: I never use recipes or measures, so I'm just guessin on the quantities. Give it a try and adjust to taste.)





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Never had a fish taco, am I missing something? There are some chain-type places here in Boise, but I can't even remember their names. (Old age is a shipwreck- in the 19th Century sense,)
 
Hey Idahorn,
Where do you live in Boise? I have a daughter with fam and grandkids in Eagle. Neat place.
 
THEU-

It's something about the grilled fish, corn tortillas and slaw that all come together to create a sublime experience...if well executed.

By the way, here's how you can do a quick slaw that is excellent on fish tacos.

Purple cabbage thinly sliced and broken up.
Thinly sliced sweet onions
Sass Sesame Garlic salad dressing.
 
The Charro Beans recipe is outstanding. My son-in-law and I came up with a little different twist to the same pot of beans.
We are purists so the beer got left out. Instead of salt we use Knorr's Caldo De Tomate. We always add a small can of Rotel Chiles and Tomato and season to taste with Minor's Pork Base. If there is a "secret" ingredient, it is t6he pork base.
The resulting perfect pot of beans we call Gringo Beans.
 
Soem good stuff on here; like the slaw recipes. I love seeing the variations in people's recipes... anyone big on breading? Trudy's, who to this day makes some of the best fish tacos - breads and, I think, deep fries their filets. They're really crunchy and REALLY good.
 
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