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baja style fish tacos

(2 ratings)
state avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
stephanie tate
@state
toledo, OH

My boyfriend loves these! This recipe reminds me of summers in Mexico and buying a fish taco from the street vendors. Afterward, we would always follow it with mango drenched in lime. A traditional street fish taco has a flour batter. I prefer using a very fine cornmeal instead. Fresh corn tortillas from a local tortilleria make these really really scrumptious. To save on time I use salsa verde from my local Mexican market. You can use any salsa verde you choose or get ambitious and make it yourself. Also, I like to sprinkle a little cotija cheese on top.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Fish tacos come in many forms. This Baja version is easy to make and full of authentic flavor. The cornmeal crust is crispy while the cod remains tender. We loved these once they were assembled. The fried fish on the warm tortillas are topped with a lemony crema, cool slaw, salsa Verde, and a sprinkle of Cojita cheese. If you like fish tacos, these are irresistible.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(2 ratings)
yield 4 to 6
prep time 20 Min
cook time 15 Min
method Pan Fry

Ingredients For baja style fish tacos

  • FOR THE FISH
  • 1 lb
    fresh cod, tilapia or other light white fish cut into strips
  • 1
    large egg
  • 1/2 c
    milk
  • 1 c
    fine corn meal
  • salt and pepper (I just eyeball this)
  • 1 pinch
    cayenne
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • FOR THE SLAW
  • 1/2
    head of cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1
    juice of 1 lime
  • 1 Tbsp
    olive oil, extra virgin
  • salt and pepper
  • FOR THE CREMA
  • 1/3 c
    mayonnaise
  • 2/3 c
    Crema Mexicana or sour cream
  • 1 tsp
    lemon zest, grated
  • 1/2
    juice from 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ADDITIONAL CONDIMENTS FOR SERVING
  • salsa verde
  • Cotija or other crumbly white mexican cheese

How To Make baja style fish tacos

  • Thinly sliced cabbage in a bowl with lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
    1
    For the slaw: Mix the thinly sliced cabbage with the lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside. If you can do this an hour or more ahead of time the flavors get to marinate together.
  • Mayo, crema Mexicana, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
    2
    For the crema: Mix together mayo, crema Mexicana or sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
  • Sauce in a resealable container.
    3
    Refrigerate. This can be may a day or so ahead of time.
  • Paper towel on a baking sheet.
    4
    For the fish: Heat oil to medium while you finish the rest of your prep. And heat oven to 250 degrees to keep the fish warm while your frying. Line a dish with paper towels to drain fish on.
  • Whisking together egg and milk.
    5
    In a shallow dish beat together egg and milk.
  • Cornmeal and seasonings in a shallow bowl.
    6
    In a separate shallow dish, mix together cornmeal and seasonings.
  • Dipping fish in egg mixture.
    7
    Dredge fish in egg/milk mixture.
  • Coating fish in cornmeal.
    8
    Then dip in cornmeal to coat. The oil is ready when it sizzles if a few drops of water are added.
  • Frying the fish.
    9
    Fry fish in batches approximately 2 minutes per side. Depending on the heat of your oil and the thickness of fish the could be a little less or more. You'll know when the cornmeal is golden brown. Place fried fish on paper towel-lined baking sheet.
  • Heating a tortilla.
    10
    Heat tortillas directly over a fire or if you have an electric stove a medium-hot skillet will do.
  • Keeping tortillas warm in a towel.
    11
    To keep these warm you can use a dish towel-lined dish or a tortilla warmer.
  • Crema on top of a tortilla.
    12
    To serve, line crema along the bottom of a tortilla.
  • Adding 2 pieces of fried fish.
    13
    Then stack with a few pieces of fish.
  • Slaw and salsa added to taco.
    14
    Add slaw and salsa verde.
  • Cojita cheese sprinkled on top.
    15
    Sprinkle with cheese and enjoy!!!
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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