You Caught It, You Cook It: Fish Tacos

This month's recipe may be the perfect meal from yacht chef Victoria Allman

Photo courtesy of Victoria Allman

This recipe was sent to us by yacht chef and author Victoria Allman, a regular contributor to our You Caught It, You Cook It column.

Between Fridays during Lent, the upcoming Cinco de Mayo holiday, and the summer boating season, we're sure you'll find an excuse to make Fish Tacos some time soon. But it turns out, this recipe is so Delicious, you don't really need an excuse - you can make Fish Tacos anytime. By the way, Victoria's latest book, SEAsoned: A Chef’s Journey With Her Captain, would make a great Mother's Day gift.

We are pretty sure this will be your new favorite meal, and here are a few reasons why: homemade tortillas, deep-fried mahi-mahi, sea salt, beer batter... should we go on? Keep reading for the full recipe.

Corn Tortillas

1 ¾ cups masa harina
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups hot water

Knead the masa, sea salt, vegetable oil and hot water until thoroughly combined. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Heat a flat-bottomed sauté pan on medium-high.

Test dough, it should feel soft and pliable but not sticky, if not adjust water or masa.

Divide into 12 pieces and roll each into a ball. Cover with plastic.

Slice a Ziplock bag in two and use to prevent sticking in the press. Lay dough ball between the plastic in the center of the press and gently flatten it. Close the press.

Open the press and peel away plastic. Gently place on the hot pan. After 30 seconds flip the tortilla with a spatula and repeat.

Transfer to a basket or plate and cover with a damp towel to steam and keep warm.

Mexican Coleslaw

6 tomatillos, rinsed and halved
1 clove garlic
1 jalepeno, deseeded
¼ cup cilantro
½ small white onion
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ head cabbage, shredded thin
1 teaspoon sea salt

In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat, place tomatillos, cut side down, onion half and garlic clove in one layer. Sauté for 5 minutes until charred, turn over and repeat. Place tomatillos, garlic, jalepeno, cilantro, onion, lime and olive oil in a food processor and blend to a coarse puree.

Toss with shredded cabbage and sea salt.

Beer-battered Mahi-Mahi

2 pounds mahi-mahi, cut in 1” strips

¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
18 grinds black pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup milk
¾ cup beer
1 egg
1 tablespoon melted butter

1 quart canola oil for frying

In a large bowl, combine flour, sea salt, black pepper and baking powder. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees.

Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Crema

¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk

Garnish

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves

Build fish tacos out of warm corn tortillas, deep-fried fish, and coleslaw. Drizzle crema over the top and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serves six


Victoria Allman has been following her stomach around the globe for twelve years as a yacht chef. She writes about her floating culinary odyssey through Europe, the Caribbean, Nepal, Vietnam, Africa and the South Pacific in her first book, Sea Fare: A Chef’s Journey Across the Ocean.

Victoria’s second book, SEAsoned: A Chef’s Journey With Her Captain, is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The new book is a hilarious look at a yacht chef’s first year working for her husband while they cruise from the Bahamas to Italy, France, Greece and Spain; trying to stay afloat.
You can read more of her food-driven escapades through her web-site, www.victoriaallman.com.