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Perfect Fish Tacos

A taco dream come true: crispy, light-as-air fried fish, balanced by a creamy slaw and fiery, cooling, and crunchy fixings. From: bonappetit.com SERVES 8

Fish
2 pounds skinless red snapper or other mild white fish fillets
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white rice flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups club soda
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 8 cups)
Assembly
16 small corn tortillas (32 if you would like to use 2 per taco)
Fixings: a Slaw, Fresno Chile Hot Sauce and sliced Pickled Jalapeños (see below)
Sliced avocado, cilantro leaves with tender stems, and lime wedges
special equipment
A deep-fry thermometer

Fish

Remove any pin bones from fish fillets (using tweezers makes this easy). Cut each fillet in half lengthwise. Cut each half on a diagonal into 1” strips. (Work with the natural shape of the fish as you cut; this will help the pieces stay together instead of falling apart when frying.)

Whisk all-purpose flour, rice flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in club soda until no lumps remain; adjust with more club soda or rice flour as needed to make it the consistency of thin pancake batter—it should be pourable, but thick enough to coat the fish.

Fit a large pot with a deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to measure 2”. Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°.

Working in batches of 5–7 pieces at a time, coat fish in batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully place in oil (to avoid splattering, lower fish into oil pointing away from you). Don’t overcrowd the pot: The oil temperature will drop dramatically and fish may stick together.

Fry fish, turning occasionally with a fish spatula or slotted spoon and maintaining oil temperature at 350°, until crust is puffed, crisp, and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; season immediately with salt.

assembly

While fish is frying, use tongs to heat tortillas one at a time directly over a gas burner, moving them often, until lightly charred and puffed in spots, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate; cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. (If you don’t have a gas stove, wrap up a stack of tortillas in a sheet of foil and heat in a 350° oven until warmed through.)

Top tortillas (we like two per taco) with fish, slaw, hot sauce, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeños. Serve with lime wedges.

Fresno Chile Hot Sauce

This vinegary hot sauce will mellow with time; make it the day before for a little less spice.
From bonappetit.com Makes 1 cup

½ pound stemmed Fresno chiles (8–10)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Cook chiles and garlic in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until chiles turn bright red, about 2 minutes; drain. Blend chiles, garlic, and vinegar in a blender until almost smooth; season with salt. Let cool.

DO AHEAD: Hot sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Pickled Jalapeños

All chiles vary in heat, so choose wisely!
From bonappetit.com

8 jalapeños
2 sprigs oregano
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1½ cups white wine vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Bring jalapeños, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, peppercorns, and cumin seeds to a boil in a medium saucepan; let cool. Transfer to glass jars, making sure chiles are submerged, and chill.

DO AHEAD: Jalapeños can be pickled 1 month ahead. Keep chilled.