Panko-Crusted Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko-style bread crumbs
1 pound flaky, mild, white fish, like rockfish, tilapia, or mahi mahi, patted dry and cut into wide approximately 1 1/2 by 3 inches

flour tortillas, warmed
spicy chile mayonnaise (recipe below)
cabbage slaw (recipe below)
limes, to garnish
1 mango, peeled and sliced into strips
1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced into strips

For the Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 chipotle chiles (rehydrated in hot water)
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the slaw:
1/2 head Napa or Savoy cabbage
1 jalepeno, seeded and minced
1/2 red onion, sliced paper thin
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions:

Serves 4

Do not assemble the tacos until right before they’re going to be eaten the crunch of the baked fish fades the longer it sits soaking in the chile mayonnaise and cabbage slaw.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

In a wide, shallow bowl or dish, whisk to combine the flour, paprika, and a liberal amount of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. In another wide dish, add the eggs. In a third dish, add the panko. Place them side-by-side, with the flour dish first and the panko dish last, to create a fish breading station. Taking one fish stick at a time, cover in flour, tap off excess. Dip into the egg, shake off excess, and then cover in the panko, making sure to use your finger to press the panko bread crumbs onto the fish. Place on the prepared baking sheet and continue the process of breading the rest of the fish. Once all are prepared and placed on the baking sheet, bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the fish is flaky white on the inside.

To assemble the fish tacos, take a warm flour tortilla, add a couple of the panko-crusted fish, top with a few good tablespoons of the pink spicy chile mayo, and add as much cabbage slaw, lime juice, and mango slices to suit your tastes.

Spicy Chile Mayonnaise:
Makes 1 cup

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend on a high speed until smooth, consistent, and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cabbage Slaw
After about an hour or two this slaw becomes slouchy and not as crisp as you’d like. I made it before the fish tacos so it could sit to soak up the flavors, but I used it as soon as the tacos were done.

Combine the cabbage, jalapeno, red onion and cilantro in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the lime juice and vinegar together. In a slow, steady stream, add in the olive oil while whisking constantly. Season well with salt and pepper. Add in to the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Let sit for about a half hour to let the flavors combine.

From themoveablefeasts.wordpress.com