Crackling Fish Tacos with Chipotle Tartar Sauce
- Level: Easy
- Total: 1 hr 2 min
- Prep: 35 min
- Inactive: 20 min
- Cook: 7 min
- Yield: 8 tacos
Ingredients
For the tartar sauce:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo sauce seeds removed, finely chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 scallion, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt
For the tacos:
2 pounds skinless red snapper fillets (or other firm, flaky white fish)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
8 8-inch flour tortillas
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups arugula leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro
Zest of 2 oranges
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
- Combine all the tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl, using salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-inch pieces and put in a bowl with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Turn the fish to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish and toss the fish pieces in it, a few at a time, until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. (To see if it's hot enough, place a small piece of bread in the oil; it should sizzle immediately.) Carefully add a few pieces of fish at a time, shaking off excess flour before placing them in the oil. Fry until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and warm for 10 to 20 seconds on each side. Place on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel; repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Spread a dollop of the chipotle tartar sauce on a warmed tortilla. Add a few pieces of cucumber and top with 3 or 4 pieces of fish, a few arugula and cilantro leaves and a little orange zest. Serve with lime wedges and more tartar sauce on the side.
