Ensenada-Style Fish Tacos with Jalapeno Taco Slaw

 

Batter:

1-1 1/2 cups cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bottle Mexican beer

 

Cod:

Neutral oil, for frying

1 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds cod, cut into 5-by-1/2-inch strips (about 16 strips)

 

Tacos:

8 corn tortillas

Sour Cream or Mexican crema, for serving

Store-bought Pico de Gallo salsa, for serving

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Store-bought pickled jalapenos

 

Slaw:

4 cups finely-shredded green cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)

Kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons pickled jalapenos, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon pickling liquid

Fresh-ground black pepper

 

For the batter: Mix the flour, mustard, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add the beer while whisking; the beer will make your batter crispier and more airy. Whisk until combined, then set the batter aside.

 

For the cod: In a large deep skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to cover 1 inch of the skillet and heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.

On a large plate, combine the flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Season the fish strips with salt and pepper. Coat the fish in the flour mixture, then dip them into the beer batter. Fry in batches in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack for the excess oil to drain.

For the tacos: Heat the tortillas directly over a gas burner until charred in spots but still pliable. Make the tacos with the warm tortillas and fish, then top with the sour cream (or crema), slaw, salsa, red onions and jalapeno.

 

For the slaw: Meanwhile, toss the cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften it a bit. Whisk the sour cream, jalapenos and pickling liquid in another large bowl. Toss in the seasoned shredded cabbage and stir to coat. Season with black pepper, cover and set aside.