Is all this talk about sewing making anybody out there hungry? Well, I’ve got the perfect fix for that — these delicious tacos stuffed with honey and cumin glazed crispy fried fish and spicy chipotle slaw. Mr. Homemaker and I enjoy making these tacos together when we have a little extra time to spend together in the kitchen, usually on a weekend afternoon. With a little preplanning you could definitely turn this into a weeknight meal as well though. We discovered these tasty treats a few years ago and have shared the addiction with many of our friends and family since then.
While the recipe calls for tilapia, you can substitute any mild white fish you have on hand. For this batch, we used some red snapper from our deep freeze that was caught by yours truly last summer. We have also made them with the day’s fresh catch of bass and bream from the family pond. Either way they are delicious.
One word of caution, the original recipe, linked here, calls for way more chipotles in adobo than we think is necessary (and we aren’t wimps about spice). I have modified the recipe I am presenting here but if you are sensitive to heat, please start with 1/2 or 1/3 the amount of chipotle paste and increase it to taste. It is some pretty spicy stuff!
So gather round your favorite peeps, whip up a batch of refreshing drinks (maybe some of these), and have a fish taco fiesta soon!
Fish Tacos
Serves 4
- 1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into chunks
- 1/2 plus 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon pureed chipotle pepper with sauce*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups panko crumbs
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 2 cups 3 color coleslaw blend
- 1 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
- 8 (7 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
*I take a whole jar of chipotles in adobo sauce and puree it in the food processor. I then transfer the puree to a resealable container and keep it in the fridge to use as needed.
Directions
- Place the tilapia chunks in a flat dish and pour 1/2 cup lime juice over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (We have marinated for as little as 30 minutes with good results.)
- Meanwhile, make the honey-cumin sauce by whisking together 1/3 cup lime juice, honey, vegetable oil, and ground cumin a small bowl. Set aside until needed.
- To make the chipotle mayonnaise dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, pureed chipotle sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
- To bread the fish, place the flour, eggs, and panko crumbs in three separate shallow dishes. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste. Dip the fish pieces first in the four, coating evenly, and shaking off any excess. Dip next in the eggs, and last in the panko crumbs, patting the pieces to help the breadcrumbs hold. Set the fish aside on a plate.
- To cook the breaded fish, pour 1 cup vegetable oil into a skillet to 1/4 inch deep. Heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C) over medium heat. Cook the fish, turning until all sides are golden brown, and flesh is easily flaked with a fork. Drain on paper towels. Brush the fish with the honey-cumin sauce.
- Mix the coleslaw and cilantro together in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the chipotle mayonnaise dressing, and pour the remaining dressing over the coleslaw mixture. Toss to coat evenly with the dressing.
- Place the tortillas on a flat surface, and spread each with a little bit of reserved chipotle mayonnaise dressing. Divide the fish between the tortillas. Top with the cilantro coleslaw.
Susie Homemaker, MD 
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