You can’t throw a rock without hitting a fish fry this time of year. And while I’m not complaining — I love a plate of battered fish, fried to golden perfection, as much as the next Minnesotan — my San Diego roots have me craving my crispy fish tucked inside a warm tortilla.
Originating in Ensenada, Mexico, the fish taco has migrated north over the years to become one of San Diego’s most iconic dishes, and like most iconic dishes, there are a million versions. Some are grilled. Some are fried. All are topped with either a salsa or, more commonly, a creamy sauce made with mayonnaise and sour cream, along with an assortment of other fresh and flavorful ingredients.
This week’s recipe, Pan-Fried Fish Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Slaw, is my own take on a hometown favorite.
What I love most about a good fish taco is the variety of flavors and textures that find themselves gathered together inside, in this case, a flour tortilla. I like to use flour tortillas for this taco, but corn tortillas work well, too.
A firm whitefish like cod or halibut is the star of the show, although I would argue it’s more of an ensemble production.
I skip the trouble of deep frying the fish, but still achieve the desired crispy coating by instead dredging my fish in rice flour before giving it a quick pan fry.
Rice flour helps ensure the coating keeps its signature crunch, but you can use all-purpose flour, too. It just might not rise to the shatteringly crispy level.
A quick pickle is made with thinly sliced red onions soaking in the liquid from jarred pickled jalapeños. That liquid serves a dual purpose, giving an added oomph to the cabbage and cilantro slaw’s creamy mayo-sour cream dressing.
