Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I thought to get us in the mood for the holiday on Saturday, I’d share my favorite way to prepare fish tacos.

Now, before I go on, let me state this isn’t some traditional southern California Baja-style fish taco. This is my Brooklyn hacked – it tastes really good – so I’m making it – fish taco!

I tend to go back and forth with preparation on the fish, either breading it with panko and pan frying or simply dredging the fish in some flour and spices and sautéing until a nice crust has formed on both sides.

Today, I went with the later. It can make a quick weeknight meal or a great set up for a Cinco de Mayo fiesta.

One factor that always stays the same though is that I use tilapia. Tilapia is inexpensive enough to purchase for a crowd, and the shape of the filet makes it easy to cut into pieces.

Recipe:

6 tablespoons sour cream
1 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon Mexican style hot sauce (I used Valentina)
1 small red cabbage, shredded
2 tilapia filets, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
Salt and pepper
8 small (6″) white corn or flour tortillas
Additional limes for serving

 

In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, lime juice and hot sauce to make the crema sauce.

In a medium bowl, add the shredded cabbage, half the crema and a teaspoon of salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and chili powders and some salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pat the tilapia filets dry with a paper towel, then cut into quarters, finally season on both sides with remaining cumin and chili powders plus salt and pepper. Dredge the tilapia pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.

Heat your pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the tilapia when the oil begins to shimmer. Be careful not to crowd your pan, depending on the size of it, I usually cook 4 pieces at a time. Cook anywhere from 2-4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Flip and finish cooking, remove to a serving dish and tent with foil to keep warm.

While your fish is cooking, heat up your tortillas. If you have a gas stove, I like to char them directly over the flame, about 20 seconds per side. If you have an electric stove, you can heat them on a dry skillet over medium heat.

To serve your taco, place a bit of the crema on the bottom of the tortilla, top with a piece of fish and then some of the slaw. Finish with a little additional lime juice. On the side enjoy your favorite guacamole, salsa, chips and margaritas!