Fish Tacos a la Black Pearl

By á-216

Ingredients

• ◾4 tilapia fillets (about 1 1/4 lb.)
• ◾1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ◾1 cup plain bread crumbs
• ◾1 8oz. bag of shredded red cabbage (or about 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced and chopped)
• ◾1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)
• ◾1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced
• ◾2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• ◾1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• ◾3 limes
• ◾2 Tablespoons Asian sesame oil
• ◾2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• ◾1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ◾1/3 cup mayonnaise
• ◾1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced (or 1 or 2 dried chipotle pepper soaked in hot water for 15 min.)
• ◾10 to 12 fresh corn tortillas
• ◾1 avocado (optional)

Details

Servings 3
Adapted from foodandwinehedonist.com

Preparation

Step 1

(Serves 3-4)

Combine red pepper, red onion, red cabbage, and cilantro in a medium-sized bowl. In a small bowl whisk together 3 Tablespoons of lime juice, the Asian sesame oil, unseasoned rice vinegar, cayenne pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle over cabbage and mix well adding freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste. Put in fridge until ready to use.

On a large plate or pie dish, mix breadcrumbs with the ground cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the minced chipotle pepper and 1 teaspoon of lime juice.  Set aside.

Heat about ¼ inch of canola oil in a large skillet on high until very hot—almost smoking. Add tortillas, two at a time, and cook on each side until crisp yet a little pliable, about 20 seconds per side. Drain well on layers of paper towel. Take skillet off heat.  (Note: Black Pearl fries the tortillas, which make them extra special, but you can also warm corn tortillas in layers of damp paper towels in microwave oven for about 30 seconds for less fat and skip the tortilla frying part.)

Sprinkle fish with a little salt and then dredge fish in cumin-seasoned bread crumbs on both sides, firmly patting bread crumbs into fish. Return pan to burner and heat oil back to medium high. Cook fish until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel and slice into strips.

On each tortilla, smear a strip of chipotle mayo. Top with a few strips of fish and spoon on some cabbage slaw. Tuck in a few thin slices of avocado on the side, if desired. Serve each taco with a wedge of lime.