Gran tacos maldecido

Lets start with the cheese on this one.  After working in a ‘Latin’ restaurant for a few years you come to learn a couple of things: authentic has varying definitions, and the Kitchen Staff always keeps the best stuff for themselves.  Through learning these ubiquitous restaurant facts, I came to know Queso Fresco or “fresh cheese”.  Many cultures worldwide have their own versions of the stuff which usually ranges in degrees of fat and salt content.  The Greeks have Feta, the Italians make Mozzarella or Teleme, in India they have Paneer, and the Latins have Queso Blanco or Queso Fresco.  After learning that this is the only acceptable cheese used by the kitchen staff for their personal meals, I decided that it would have to be the same for me.  Forget jack or cheddar. They have their place but it is not here.  In California this stuff is easy to find at your local mexi-catessen or Safeway but in other states you may have to search a little harder or learn how to make it yourself.

In the paragraphs that follow, I’ll show you how I make my own version of fish tacos and beans.

For the beans, start by selecting one or two dried Arbol Chilies.  Grind the chilies and add to a saucepan with diced onion, pepper, cumin seed, and oil and proceed to cook at a low temp until the onions are mushy (for this recipe I am using canned pinto beans.  I would consider slight alterations to method were I starting with beans I had re-hydrated).  This mixture is your ‘sofrito’.  It is what will form the base or gravy for your beans.

While that simmers, clean and prepare your fish.  I like tilapia.  Fresh water tilapia is farmed typically in aquaponic systems which are highly sustainable.  The fish feed on plants which in turn feed on fish excrement and clean the pools at the same time.  Not only can you feel good about eating tilapia, it’s a hardy, mildly flavored fish that fries up really well.  Just before the fillets go into the oil, I quickly dredge them in wheat flour.  While I place the fish in the preheated oil, I prepare the remaining ingredients.  In this case I used avocado, tomato, green onion, and cilantro for my garnishes.  

The final element necessary for great fish tacos is a great sauce.  I like to make a simple spicy aoli to drizzle on at the end.  Let’s not ask why it is that mayonnaise based sauces are good with fried things.  Aoli is to the taco as tartar is to the fish and chips.  It just works.  All you need for this simple sauce is the juice of a lime, one tablespoon of mayo, one or two large pressed cloves of garlic, 1/2 to one whole minced jalapeno peppers and salt.  Mix the above ingredients until uniform and your done.

Before your fish has been fried to golden perfection your beans should have been added to the sofrito and brought to a slightly spitty simmer.  Leave the salting out of the equation until the very end.  The salt will break down the beans and cause them to split.  Add salt after you’ve turned off your fire and you are ready to serve them.  Now it is construction time!

The following pictures should say more than I need to about the construction process.  I feel sorry for you if you’ve never had a taco and need step by step instructions from here on out.  But if this is the case for your sorry soul, I bear no judgement. Simply follow the pictures and try not to choke as you inhale your delicious creation.  Consumición feliz!!