Fish Tacos (finally!)

 Ahh, summer.  The sun is out, the pool is cool, the kids are getting on each others' nerves... and we are on vacation again.  This time, we are visiting family in Texas.  I would tell you it is HOT here, but that absolutely does not convey the Oven that waits to swallow you up as you step outside the door.  There is NO humidity in northeast Texas.  Dry, crunchy fields, dying trees, and 111 degrees before noon, dropping to 99 only after 9 o'clock at night.  H-O-T hot.  Yes.  But, we are loving our time with my family now, out in the beautiful albeit parched country.  We toured a chocolate factory today! (The same factory that makes chocolates for Neiman Marcus, among others. And there were samples.)  Next week, we will head down to Houston, continuing our southern tour.

I totally meant to post this recipe before we left home.  But I didn't.  It's summer, and I intend to use that excuse right up until school starts back, at which point I will employ the excuse that school has just started back. So it goes.

HERE is the recipe. Try the yogurt marinade & breading (minus cilantro and plus whatever herbs/seasonings you like) on anything you fry -- It's wonderful!

Ingredients

2 c. greek yogurt

1/2 c. chopped, fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp. Tabasco (or to taste)

3 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

juice of one lime

1.5 lbs. fresh tilapia, cut into strips

16 corn tortillas

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

vegetable oil for frying

Cucumber Baja Cream Sauce

Pickled Peppers, Squash and Fennel

2 c. shredded green cabbage

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

lime wedges

Mix first 6 ingredients, add fish strips. Cover and chill 1-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven to warm. (Alternatively, fry each tortilla in a small amount of oil until soft and keep warm in oven.)

Mix flour and baking powder. Heat one inch of oil in cast iron (or regular, deep) skillet to 350 degrees on deep fat thermometer.  Work in batches, removing fish from marinade and dredging in flour.  Carefully place fish in skillet, cover partially and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally -- 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer fried fish to paper towel lined baking sheet and pop in the oven to keep warm.

Mix shredded cabbage and chopped cilantro. Set out cream sauce, pickled veggies and lime wedges.  Enjoy perhaps with a margarita made from the cucumber juice you set aside while making the Baja cream sauce.  I'll post a recipe for that, soon.  More taste testing is needed ;-).

Baby liked it, too!  Gourmet fish sticks...

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