Ensenada Style Baja Fish Tacos

By far my all time favorite single dish is fish tacos, it’ not just the uniquely Baja ingredients and flavor if this ultimate street food with it’s holy trinity of strangely ambiguous White Sauce combined with a creamy Avocado Sauce, and De Arbol hot sauce all combined with Cabbage and Pico De Gallo salsa. After one of these jewels it makes the twelve tequila shots and the trip off the edge of a dark cliff while stumbling home much less painful. I think the memories connected to these tacos also play a big part, from surf trips deep into the Baja Peninsula to weekend party expeditions to Rosarita Beach and Ensenada, fish tacos are ingrained in my psyche.

I obtained this recipe from a lady who owned a taco cart halfway between Tijuana and Ensenada. Things have changed quite a bit around this area in the last few years and not for the better. Between warring drug cartels and para military kidnappers, northern Baja is no longer the semi safe region(there were always federales and crooked cops) filled with sleepy fishing villages where a Norteno could get a few drinks and some great fish from hard working local fishing families in relative safety. I have not seen the “Taco Lady’s” cart the last few times I visited. So I guess it is time to release the recipe so the rest of us Norteno’s can enjoy a real Baja style fish taco safely on this side of the fence.

In southern California there are innumerable places that sell fish tacos and they always seem to fall just short of the real deal. It is hard to replicate food served from a taco cart because it is served immediately hot and fresh right then and there. With a restaurant taco, the transit time between the kitchen to the heat lamp to your table could kill a good fish taco. Combine this with Americanized ingredients (why do we always have to mess with perfection?) and it is usually just bad, verrrry bad! I have had some good fish tacos in a few secret hole in the wall spots here in California, seems they always have a big blue D from the health department on the wall. Not sure, but I think that must mean good fish taco’s.

One of the secret tricks for perfect Ensenada style fish tacos is double cooking the fish. Kinda the same theory as when you double cook “pan frits”. For you normal folks that translates to French Fries. They become much more crisp and are actually less greasy when you fry them twice. and soggy or burnt if you fry them just once. Another important tool for the perfect fish taco is a Mexican frying pan called a Disca. They look like a cross between a rice paddy hat and a hubcap. The oil resides in the center of the pan and the rim is flared so once you cook the fish it sits on the edge and drains allowing the oil to run back to the center. If you can’t find a Disca just use a good cast iron skillet a drain rack and you will be fine.

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Before you start cooking there are a few sacred rules that must be adhered to or you will be subject to the curse of “Montezuma’s revenge” Yea you know what I am talking about.

Rule #1. NO FLOUR TORTILLAS only use fresh hot of the grill corn tortillas.

Rule # 2 BEER BATTER FRIED NEVER GRILLED. Grilled is cool and of course it is a healthy alternative and I will probably some time in the future post a grilled recipe. That said, grilled is definitely not authentic and subject to “The Curse”

Rule #3 NO LETTUCE not even as a garnish or on the side of the plate. Only use cabbage. Need I remind you of the consequences?

1 cup all purpose flour,
1 cup Masa,
1 1/2 tsp baking powder,
1/2 tsp granulated garlic.
1/4 tsp cayenne.
1/2 tsp dry mustard,
1/2 tsp dried whole Mexican oregano powder,
Kosher salt,
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,
12 oz one bottle cold Mexican beer, plus more to thin batter if necessary,
2 lbs firm white meat fish, I like Alaska Halibut (Here is a list of environmentally sustainable fish)
freshly squeezed lime juice preferably from Mexican limons,
vegetable oil for deep frying.

Fish Taco White Sauce
Avocado Sauce
Pico De Gallo Salsa
De Arbol Hot Sauce

1) Make the batter combine and mix the flour, baking powder, granulated garlic, cayenne, mustard, oregano, one tsp salt and pepper until well blended. Stir in the beer until batter is smooth. I like to make ahead of time so all ingredients can absorb the liquid.

2), trim the fish of all bloodlines and skin, cut into pieces the size and shape of your index finger, sprinkle with a few drops of lime juice and a little salt, Pour the oil it to a Disca or wide Cast Iron pan to a depth of two inches and heat to medium high.

3) Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Check batter for thickness. Should be the consistency of pancake batter.

4. Add the fish to the batter, make sure it is thoroughly coated then lift out of the batter, let it drip once and lay the fish gently into hot oil, cook a few pieces at a time, until they float and the batter is set but still very light in color.

5) Place the fish on a rack to drain. If need be you can cook and prep ahead of time just refrigerate fish until ready to cook. This makes cooking for a group or party much easier and the fish always seems to taste better.

6) When you are ready to serve reheat the oil to 350 to 360 degrees and fry the fish a few pieces at a time until crisp and golden brown.

7) To serve hold the tortilla in your hand and add a spoon full of avocado sauce, top with fish and squeeze lime over the whole piece, then drizzle a little white sauce and few drops of De Arbol sauce, top with Pico De Gallo and shredded cabbage. Get ready to ride the fish taco train to nirvana!!