Halibut Tacos
To celebrate the upcoming week with a BANG I am joining in on the Foodbuzz Daily Specials once again. This is the final post in this series for Foodbuzz. It has been fun to follow along. Today's feature on Foodbuzz is an AngleSelect Knife Sharpener like the ones here at CHEFS™ catalogue. When you are cooking a sharp knife is an essential tool for so many tasks. This 3-stage electric knife sharpener is fast and easy to use. It works on your smooth, serrated, Asian and sporting knives. The angle guides keep you within a perfect 15-20 degree angle, so there's no guesswork. Stage 1 at a 15% angle for Asian knives and Stage 2 at 20% for American and European knives hones cutlery to hairsplitting sharpness with diamond coated disks. Revolutional Stage 3 stropping/polishing disk finishes the job with a flawless edge. Lubricant-free so it's a joy to sharpen knives.
With all of that chopping and preparation in the kitchen a sharp knife is an essential tool. Tacos de pescado (fish tacos) originated in Baja California in Mexico, where they consist of grilled or fried fish, lettuce or cabbage, pico de gallo, and a sour cream or citrus/mayonnaise sauce, all placed on top of a corn or flour tortilla. In California, they are often found at street vendors, but with deep fried and battered local fish with a cabbage and coleslaw dressing on top.
Fresh halibut meat is sparkling white and firm. It is a lean, mild tasting fish whose firm meat holds together well. Halibut cheeks are more tender in texture. This sustainable fish is available throughout the commercial fishing season which takes place from the middle of March to the middle of November. Traditional Mexican recipes do not come much tastier than this fish tacos recipe. You can use tilapia, halibut, or something else with firm flesh. The grill gives a wonderful flavor to both the fish and the tortillas.
You can either serve all the ingredients separately, including the garnishes, so people can help themselves and build their own fish tacos, or you can prepare them all. Serve each person two fish tacos. These fish tacos make a delicious and healthy meal and are sure to be a hit with everybody. The cilantro and lime juice add more Mexican flavour and these aromatic flavours marry well with the fish as well.
I've always tweaked this recipe according to what fish is readily available. Here in British Columbia, salmon and halibut have become my all-time favourites. Don't be a slave to the recipe... buy what's fresh and local. I love to pair these tacos with a lovely bed of baby salad greens with just a little olive oil and lime juice. You could also serve them with traditional Mexican beans and rice or maybe they just "vonta be alone".
** Halibut Tacos**
2 lb fresh British Columbia halibut
1/2 cup peanut oil
1cup flour
2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground black cumin
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
8 flour tortillas, 6”
Southwestern Slaw (recipe follows)
1 cup guacamole (use your own recipe)
1/2 cup Mexican Crema (recipe follows)
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Preheat a frying pan to medium-high. Combine the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and salt. Toss and coat the halibut cheeks with the flour. Sauté the fish for 2-3 minutes and then flip and cook through, about 1- 1/2 to 2 minutes more.
Grill the tortillas until they have light grill marks (or steam in the microwave or oven) and are heated through, about 15 seconds on the first side. Turn the tortillas and grill them until they just start to bubble, another 15 seconds.
Center 2 pieces of grilled fish on each tortilla with the slaw and Guacamole. Add a dollop of Mexican Crema, fold in half, and serve immediately.
Southwestern Slaw
2 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
¼ cup shredded carrot
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons local honey
2 tablespoon red onion, finely minced
2 teaspoons jalapeños, finely minced
2 teaspoon cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 1-2 hours to let the flavours develop.
Mexican Crema
1/2 cup Mexican sour cream
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
Combine in a bowl and let infuse for at least 2 hours.
Serve with Cedar Creek Estate Ehrenfelser 2009
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