Guajillo-Chile Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

By mrboyton

These are absolutely the best fish tacos.Ever. Don't be intimidated by the amount of peppers in the chile paste. They are very mild. If nothing else, the tip about salting the cabbage is fantastic for any slaw recipe you use!
While this recipe was found on cookstr, I'd like to give full credit to where it is due: homesicktexan.com. Her recipes and books are fantastic. I've never been to TX, but she makes me want to head there right now!

Ingredients

• For the Fish
• 6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 pound of tilapia fillets
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• For the Cabbage Slaw
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 serrano chile, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• For the Tacos
• Flour or corn tortillas
• Cotija cheese, crumbled
• Lime wedges
• Salsa

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from cookstr.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a dry skillet heated on high, toast the guajillo chiles on each side for about 10 seconds, or just until they start to puff. Fill the skillet with enough water to cover the chiles. Leave the heat on until the water begins to boil, then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak until soft, about 30 minutes.

2. Drain the chiles and place in a blender with the garlic, cilantro, cumin, cayenne, ginger, lime juice, and olive oil. Blend until a smooth paste forms. Add salt to taste.

3. Rinse and dry the fish, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and place in a nonreactive container. Cover the fish on all sides with the guajillo chile paste and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

4. While the fish is marinating, you can make the cabbage topping. Toss the shredded cabbage with 1 teaspoon of salt and let it sit unrefrigerated for 1 hour. Drain off the excess liquid and then mix the cabbage with the serrano chile, cumin, cilantro, mayonnaise, and lime juice. Add salt and black pepper to taste and refrigerate.

5. After the fish has marinated, melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat. Shake off any excess marinade and then cook the fillets for 3 minutes on each side. Add salt to taste. Cut the fish into bite-size pieces and place in warm tortillas. Top with the cabbage slaw and serve with Cotija cheese, lime wedges, and salsa.