Spicy Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and Guacamole
Jalapeños are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapeños have a balanced combination of flavor and heat. The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties.
For the Tacos:
Ingredients
6 (6-oz.) flounder fillets
1 lime
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
Vegetable oil
4 to 6 flour or corn tortillas
Mango Salsa
Guacamole
Toppings: shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped tomato
Garnishes: lime wedges, fresh cilantro sprigs
Preparation
1. Place fish in a shallow dish. Squeeze juice of 1 lime over fillets.
2. Combine chili powder and next 3 ingredients. Sprinkle 1 1/2 Tbsp. seasoning mixture evenly over fish, coating both sides of fillets. Reserve remaining seasoning mixture.
3. Combine cornmeal and reserved seasoning mixture in a shallow dish. Dredge fish fillets in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.
4. Pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a Dutch oven; heat to 350°. Fry fillets, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain fillets on wire racks over paper towels.
5. Break each fillet into chunks, using a fork. Place fish in warmed tortillas, and serve with Mango Salsa, Guacamole, and desired toppings. Garnish, if desired.
Cook’s Notes: While we love the fried fish flavor, we also tried baking and grilling the flounder fillets. Both are great options. Here’s how to do it:
Baked Flounder Fillets: Omit oil from Spicy Fish Tacos recipe. Assemble as directed. Spray cornmeal-coated fish with vegetable cooking spray. Bake at 350° on a lightly greased rack on a baking sheet 12 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.
Grilled Flounder Fillets: Omit oil and cornmeal from Spicy Fish Tacos recipe. Assemble as directed. Reduce salt to 1 tsp. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder, salt, cumin, and red pepper. Lightly grease a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil; line cooking grate with foil. Place fish on lightly greased side of foil; grill, covered with grill lid, over high heat (400° to 500°) 8 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork, turning once.
For the Mango Salsa:
Ingredients
1 mango, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. Stir together all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve.