There are many ways to make fish tacos: fried, grilled, or sometimes even steamed. There is just something unmatched about the combination of the crunchy texture of batter-fried fish, creamy guacamole, sharp salsa, and soft, warm tortillas. I recommend cod or hake here, but any non-oily white fish, such as halibut, works well, too.
Fish Tacos
Equipment
- Deep-fry / candy thermometer
Ingredients
For the guacamole:
- 2 avocados, halved and pitted
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
For the salsa:
- 1 pound Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
For the fish:
- Canola oil for deep-frying
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless cod or hake, cut into 8 equal rectangles
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup sparkling water
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Instructions
- Make the guacamole: Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl. Crush the avocado, then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with sea salt and white pepper. Cover and keep cool.
- Make the salsa: In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and sea salt and white pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.
- To set up a fryer, pour about 3 inches of canola oil into a deep straight-sided pot or Dutch oven, filling it less than halfway. Clip a deep-fry / candy thermometer to the side of the pot and preheat the oil to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with paper towels.
- Fry the fish: Season the cod with sea salt and white pepper and set aside. Combine the flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the sparkling water, then season lightly with sea salt and white pepper.
- Working in batches, dip the cod pieces in the batter to completely coat. Gently add them to the fryer, one piece at a time, and cook until golden brown and crunchy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towels to drain. Remove extra batter from the fryer with a slotted spoon between batches. Repeat with the remaining fish.
- Place a large sauté pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla to the pan and quickly char, turning after 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- To assemble, put 1 tablespoon of guacamole in the center of each tortilla and top with fried cod. Finish with tomato salsa and serve hot.
Notes
Recipe reprinted with permission from Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert (Random House an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, 2023). Photography by Nigel Parry.