Baja Fish Tacos

My husband and I love a good fish taco. We get them on every trip to Mexico when we go diving. We've never really found a great place locally for the kind of fish tacos we enjoy in Mexico so I've been perfecting a recipe to make them at home. I've used several different recipes over the past couple of years and I've combined versions of those I like the best to share with you here. I can't get enough of these so it's great to be able to whip up a batch at home whenever we have a craving. Served alongside a nice cold beer and you almost think you are on the beach in Mexico....almost!

Baja Fish Tacos
(serves 4-6)

2 limes, 1, juiced and 1 sliced for serving
1 tablespoon tequila
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 ½ lbs tilapia, halibut or cod, cut into 2 inch long pieces
1 package (8-inch) corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 package tempura flour, divided
1 beer (plus more for drinking with the tacos!)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup thinly sliced white cabbage
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 avocado cut into thin slices

In medium bowl, combine lime juice, tequila, cumin, salt, and pepper; mix thoroughly. Add the fish and toss to coat. Marinate for about 10 minutes.

Divide tempura flour in half in each of 2 shallow dishes for dredging. Season the dry tempura flour with 1 tsp each of salt, pepper and garlic salt. Stir to incorporate spices into the dry tempura flour. With the second dish of tempura flour add about 1 cup of beer and stir to mix. The mixture should be soupy. Add more beer as needed.

Warm tortillas in oven, covered in tinfoil at 150 degrees F.

In a medium Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees F. Use enough oil to have about 2 inches deep in the pot.

Remove fish from marinade, shake off excess, dredge in tempura flour then dunk in cold tempura beer batter. Gently, add fish to oil (only about 5-6 pieces at a time), making sure to keep the fish pieces separated. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove and drain on a rack over a paper towel covered cookie sheet.

Place 1-2 pieces of fried fish on top of a corn tortilla, add a slice of avocado, some diced tomatoes and cabbage. Top with white sauce and a squeeze of lime.

Tequila Lime Whitesauce:
2 tablespoons premium tequila
1 lime, juiced
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup milk
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper

In small bowl, combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep chilled until ready to serve.