Fish Tacos

This dish was inspired by our recent trip to Mexico. I had this fish tacos at Maria's Restaurant located in a small town of San Francisco, about 40 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. It was so simple but the freshness of the fish made it even better. Factor in the location, c'mon, this is where it was invented, they better do it right. Anyway, when we got back to the mainland, I was so into Mexican Cuisine that I had to suggest this for our school menu. But we made it a little fancier by using Flounder which is a flatfish. Then we served it with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce, shredded Iceberg Lettuce and some Pico de Gallo, a tomato with lime juice relish.

I had this Mexican bug for a week which never happened before. I must have prepared Mexican dishes three times within that week for dinner. Even my hubby was taken aback coz of my craving for tacos which I used to take for granted. My hubby had to twist my arm just to prepare Tex-Mex, the Old Paso kind. My travel to Mexico helped me appreciate their food even more.

Fish Tacos

Flounder, sliced into thin strips
Salt and Pepper
Crackermeal for breading

4-inch Flour or Corn Tortilla

Served with Roasted Tomatillo sauce, Pico de Gallo, Shredded Iceberg Lettuce

Heat oil in a deep pan, enough to submerge the fish. Season fish with salt & pepper then coat with crackermeal. Deep fry for atleast 2 minutes or less. Line plate with paper towels to absorb the excess fat. Meanwhile, heat up a non stick pan, lightly toast tortillas or until heated through. Place fried fish strips on the tortilla and top with lettuce, relish and sauce. Buen Provecho!

Roasted Tomatillo Sauce (optional: Substitute Tomatoes if Tomatillos aren't available)

1 lb Tomatillos
2 Tbsp Oil

Soak in warm water and remove husks. Place on a sheet pan and roast at 425 degF for atleast 20 mins. or until charred. Puree in a blender. Heat oil in a sauce pot, pour the puree and let it simmer until thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: If using Tomatoes, roast them with 3 garlic cloves and 1 small onion (chopped)

Pico de Gallo/ Tomato Relish

5 Tomatoes, small dices
3 Tbsp Onion, small dices
1/2 Jalapeno or Serrano pepper, seeded and small dices
3 Tbsp Cilantro, chiffonade
Juice of one lime (or more if needed)
Salt

Combine all the ingredients. Also good on grilled Steak with salad, so it's okay to make extra.