Recipe Panko-breaded Fried Grouper Tacos with Tequila Lime Crema

JAS_OH1

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On my various travels to the Mexican coastal areas, I have always happily eaten fish tacos several times while visiting. I have been to Cancun, Cozumel, and Cabo San Lucas many times. In the coastal communities, fish tacos are often very similar in their components, using fried fish (generally a local fish such as grouper or mahi-mahi on the Yucatan peninsula), red or green cabbage, and crema, usually served in a soft corn tortilla and sometimes topped with avocado and cilantro. These tacos are served with several lime wedges and sometimes some sort of salsa on the side (I chose not to use any salsa).

For this recipe, I wanted to do something a little different, so I created a special crema using tequila, lime, cilantro, and a fresh jalapeño from my garden (Recipe - Tequila Lime Crema). Regular crema purchased from the Mexican food aisle (if available) will suffice if you don't have time or inclination to make this.

I also made my own tortillas, which isn't necessary if one can obtain good tortillas from the grocery store. I made Recipe - Mitad y Mitad (Half Corn Flour, Half Wheat Flour) Tortillas which were quite good, but pure corn tortillas are delicious as well Recipe - Soft Corn Tortillas from Scratch

I used Gulf of Mexico grouper as my fish, but any mild, white firm-fleshed fish will do.

Ingredients for fried fish:
8-10 ounces firm-fleshed fish cut into 5-6" strips
1/2 cup AP flour
1 tsp Adobo seasoning (for flour dredge)
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup plain Panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp Adobo seasoning (for breadcrumb mixture)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp lime juice
Approximately 1 quart of canola, peanut, or vegetable oil for frying

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Instructions for frying the fish:
Whisk egg, milk, and lime juice together in bowl or shallow pan. Mix AP flour and 1 tsp Adobo seasoning in a shallow container, and mix the regular bread crumbs and Panko bread crumbs with 1 tsp Adobo seasoning in another.

Dredge 1 fish strip into the flour mixture and coat thoroughly, then dip into the egg and milk mixture. Dip the fish into the bread crumb mixture and coat thoroughly. Place on a plate. Repeat with each fish strip.

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Fry the fish strips at 350F-375F until golden brown in color. Place each fish strip on a plate lined with paper towels.

Ingredients for compiling the tacos:

5 soft tortillas Recipe - Soft Corn Tortillas from Scratch Recipe - Mitad y Mitad (Half Corn Flour, Half Wheat Flour) Tortillas
1 cup crema Recipe - Tequila Lime Crema
1 cup shredded cabbage (I used red)
1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese (optional: in Mexico they rarely use cheese on tacos, especially fish tacos)
5 breaded and fried fish strips (approximately 5-6" long each)
1 sliced avocado

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Compiling the tacos: using a cast iron skillet, heat 2-3 tortillas on high heat and place on plate. Add a fish strip and crema to each tortilla, then add cabbage and sprinkle with cheese (if desired) on top of each taco, then top with avocado slices. Serve with wedges of lime. Add additional crema drizzle atop the avocados. Simply fold up the sides of each taco to eat them.

These tacos pair well with Mexican cerveza (beer) or margaritas. Eat and enjoy!

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For somebody living in Ohio, how'd you come by the grouper? The last time I had grouper, I was living in Key West, Florida.
 
For somebody living in Ohio, how'd you come by the grouper? The last time I had grouper, I was living in Key West, Florida.

I know some people, LOL. Did you know I lived in Florida for most of my life up until the past 22 years?

But seriously, that's not where I got it. There are stores around here that sell it, however. I can think of 3 stores that carry FRESH grouper but it's pricey ($21 lb) and sometimes they don't have it in stock. But I actually bought these filets from a company based in Florida that ships it to me frozen and on dry ice.

When we went to North Carolina several years back on vacation, we went deep sea fishing and caught some. We froze it and brought it home.

I do realize that Pacific grouper is goliath grouper and isn't a regular catch. In the Gulf of Mexico and in the Atlantic, it used to be common for charter and fairly regular for commercial fishing.
 
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They look seriously good! I love the way the Mexicans use their chiles with lime and cilantro - just great; and they go really well with a Modelo - which I WAY prefer over a Corona.
What was in the "adobe"? I´m a chile fanatic, so I make all my Mexican spice mixes from scratch, and would be happy to share if you´re interested.
 
Please share your spice mix! I never questioned my adobo spice mix, I always just went with the Goya, so gringo of me, LOL. I generally am more inclined to add my spice via fresh peppers. Thank you so much!

Edited to add that after reading the ingredients, I am indeed appalled to realise that I could be making this myself. SMH. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I will still be regularly adding my own peppers from my garden :happy:


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Please share your spice mix! I never questioned my adobo spice mix, I always just went with the Goya, so gringo of me, LOL. I generally am more inclined to add my spice via fresh peppers. Thank you so much!

Edited to add that after reading the ingredients, I am indeed appalled to realise that I could be making this myself. SMH. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I will still be regularly adding my own peppers from my garden :happy:


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I use an adobo sauce paste that comes in a jar.

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Photo courtesy of Walmart.

Dona Maria also makes a mole sauce paste.

Care must be taken when removing the lid on these products for the first time as they have oil in them that collects at the top and will spill out all over the place, if the jar is tilted or jostled when opened.
 
I use an adobo sauce paste that comes in a jar.

View attachment 71206

Photo courtesy of Walmart.

Dona Maria also makes a mole sauce paste.

Care must be taken when removing the lid on these products for the first time as they have oil in them that collects at the top and will spill out all over the place, if the jar is tilted or jostled when opened.
That would not work with dry flour and breadcrumb dredges.
 
That would not work with dry flour and breadcrumb dredges.

I'm lucky enough not to know what a dry flour and breadcrumb dredge is. I use the adobo stuff in a variety of rice dishes and soups, and other things.
 
I'm lucky enough not to know what a dry flour and breadcrumb dredge is. I use the adobo stuff in a variety of rice dishes and soups, and other things.
I'm guessing you didn't read the recipe or you would know.

How is it lucky to not be informed? Whether you use it or not is one thing, but it's a basic cooking technique.
 
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That's a pretty taco...almost too pretty to eat. Kidding, of course...the memory of what it looked like is much better when it's in your belly.

Did you use a tortilla press to make your tortillas?

No. You have to read the recipe thread for the tortillas. There is a third recipe thread for the Tequila Lime Crema. :scratchhead:

CD
 
That's a pretty taco...almost too pretty to eat. Kidding, of course...the memory of what it looked like is much better when it's in your belly.

Did you use a tortilla press to make your tortillas?
I made my tortillas using a glass pie pan, LOL. If I ever decide I want to make tortillas more often than 4x a year, I will invest in one, but it was pretty easy to do with plastic wrap, cooking oil spray, and a glass pan.
 
I also must say that making half and half tortillas made the dough much easier to work with. The tortillas came out thinner, lighter, and more flexible. I still got a good corn flavor, however.
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