One Step Back, Then One Step Forward. Plus Baja Fish Tacos!

So after a totally excellent session last week, I headed back to the beach for another, but this time I sucked, so it was that one step forward, two steps back thing. For the second session, conditions were not ideal, so not totally my fault, but I was itching to get back in the water after a few days away so I went for it anyway. Mostly it was swim and splash around time because even though surf was elevated, there really were no good waves to catch, even for the more able surfers. Waves were closing out, which means, I think, they're not really rideable. But then on Sunday things swung back in my direction. Waves were mellow. The tide was on the high side for me by the time I could make it, but I put my wariness of high tide aside and I just went for it. Sometimes you just have to push yourself a little, right? By the way, I have joked in the past that I'm 'backward' surfer. I like small days and I used to, before I knew better, dug low tide because I could always touch the bottom of the ocean with my foot. Then I learned that low tide is bad because you're more prone to injury when you wipeout and there's less of a watery cushion. So I'm trying to get better about being backwards, if that makes sense! Anyway, Sunday was a fun day. I paddled into a bunch of waves and caught a few. My old mentor's words still ring in my head, though -  I still tend to pop up too soon, and I have to always be thinking of how and where I place my front foot. And stay low! So, still a lot to work next time and, I'm sure, the time after that.

On to dinner after the fun surf. I figured a classic post-surf meal would be ideal, like fish tacos, Baja style. These you see here:

A little history on the fish taco. There's some controversy, it seems, about the origins of this most excellent of meals. Some claim the fish taco was born south of the border in San Felipe, and others insist it was in Ensenada. Most agree on the basics, though. The dish consists of some sort of firm white fish, usually beer battered and deep fried. This part may have descended from a wave of Japanese that immigrated to Mexico in the 1920's, apparently, because the batter is close to a Tempura batter if done right -- the crust should be thin, but really, really crisp. The fried fish should be served in a warm corn tortilla and topped with some sort of mayonnaise based white sauce, a little red or green salsa and some sliced cabbage, along with a squeeze or two of fresh lime. This recipe, adapted from America's Test Kitchen, includes pickled red onion and jalapeños, and cilantro on top if you like it.

Where ever Fish Tacos came from, they are always so good. So the next time you have a day at the beach, I say make them for dinner.

Fish Tacos, Baja Style
(recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen)
Serves 4

For Pickled Onions and Jalapeños:
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small jalapeños, sliced (seeded if you want less heat)
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsps fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

1. In a small saucepan add vinegar, lime juice, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.
2. Pour hot liquid over sliced onions and jalapeños. Let sit 30 minutes or longer, then drain, but reserve liquid.

For White Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 mayonnaise

1 tsp. lime juice

salt and fresh ground pepper

Milk or water for thinning

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Thin the sauce with a little milk or water until it's a pourable consistency. Set aside.

Cabbage:

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1/4 cup reserved liquid from pickled onions

Salt and fresh ground pepper.

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Set aside.

Fish, batter and tacos

1 pound firm white fish, like Halibut or Cod, skinned and boned*

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup beer
1/2 - 1 quart vegetable or canola oil
8-12 corn tortillas.
Tomatillo salsa or Pico de gallo
Chopped Cilantro
Lime wedges

1. Slice fish into strips, about 3 inches long and an inch or so wide. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Set a rack over a baking sheet to drain fish once fried.
2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and beer. Don't over mix.
3. Pour oil into a large pot or dutch oven until pot is about 1/3 full. Heat oil to 350 degrees.
4. Stir fish strips into batter. When oil is at 350, carefully lower battered fish strips into pot. Don't over crowd -- fry in batches if you have to. Fry until fish is golden and cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Remove to rack to drain. Continuing frying until all fish is cooked. Place rack in oven to keep warm.
5. Warm tortillas over gas flame until charred in spots, or warm them in a microwave, covered with damp towel, until pliable.
6. Construct tacos! Lay 2-3 warm tortillas on each plate. Place fried fish on tortillas. Top with salsa of choice. Add on some pickled onion and jalapeños, then some sliced cabbage. Drizzle tacos with white sauce, top with Cilantro if you like, and serve with lime wedges.

* Fish note: the most important part of buying fish is finding a good fish monger. We have McCalls Meat and Fish here in town, but it's also a good idea to periodically check the Monterrey Aquarium's site, which lists the best choices in terms of sustainability. The link is below.

For the best fish if you're in LA: www.mccallsmeatandfish.com

For the Monterrey Bay Aquarium: www.seafoodwatch.org