Never had a fish taco? You are missing out!

While visiting the tiny town of Isla Mujeres, Mexico I had my first fish taco. At first glance, 'fish taco' is not what makes my Western brain go "Mmmm!" But I am not one to pass up an opportunity to try something new. After my first amazing encounter with these delicious treats, I was hooked. I had at least one every day I was in Mexico. It didn't even bother me that no matter where I went, if I asked what kind of fish it was the only answer I got was "It's fish."

Naturally, once I was home I had to experiment with my own version of this delicacy. I am including a recipe for the hottest and most amazing salsa I have ever eaten. We discovered it at a little restaurant on the island and the owner was happy to share his recipe.

Fish Tacos & Onion Salsa

Ingredients

Fish tacos:

1 large cod or haddock fillet, cubed

1 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 can beer

corn tortillas (see recipe in previous post)

Onion salsa:

One whole yellow onion, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 dried habenero pepper, minced**

salt

Fill a saucepan with vegetable or peanut oil (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep). Heat the oil to about 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, egg, and seasonings. Pour in enough beer to reach a thick yogurt-like consistency. (You can make it thinner if you like. This all depends on how much oating you like on your fish.)

Lightly cover the cubes of fish with flour and then dunk them into the batter. Using tongs, gently drop the fish into the oil. When the edges start to brown, flip the pieces over to fry the other side evenly. Remove the cooked fish cubes from the oil and pat them gently with paper towels.

Serve with all your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!

For salsa:

** Warning: Habenero peppers are EXTREMELY hot. When handling them, use gloves and keep your hands away from your eyes and face.

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until onions become transparent. Remove from heat and add peppers and salt to taste. It is so simple but bursting with flavor. If you love heat, you HAVE to try it!

Homemade tortillas - You can do it!

Last year Richard and I planned a trip to Costa Maya, Mexico among other places. As part of our plans, we scheduled a day to go into a small village and have lunch with the locals. What we ended up with was much more than that.

If you've never heard of Costa Maya, that's probably because there is NOTHING there. Literally. We boarded a van and drove about 45 minutes North to a small village of Mayan descendants. We bounced along the dirt roads and as we reached our destination, we were inundated with the smells of chicken and peppers.

We walked though the garden at the front of the house and were greeted warmly by a couple of lovely ladies in brightly colored dresses. The 'house' was a small straw and mud structure with large openings on either side.

We sat at a small table while an older woman taught us to shape and cook tortillas. She didn't speak any English but she gestured very directly. If your tortilla was no good, she simply shook her head and slapped it back down on the table.

The tortillas are made from finely ground corn flour called Masa. It has a different flavor and texture than cornmeal, so don't try to cheat! You can purchase Masa at most grocery stores in the Ethnic foods or Chinese/Mexican section. All you have to do is follow the directions on the bag. Basically, you mix the Masa with water until it is the consistency of soft play dough. Roll it into a small ball and then press it flat with your fingers.

The ladies that made us lunch told us that when a girl in the village is able to make a perfect tortilla, then she is ready for marriage. I made one on my first try. ;)

After your tortilla is shaped, cook it on a dry skillet or griddle over high heat. It should start to bubble a little. Once it does, flip it over and let it bubble a little more. Your skillet should be hot enough that you get a nice browning very quickly.

In Mexico, we cooked ours over an open fire but you don't have to go that far. You can also fry them instead to make crunchy tortillas for chips or tacos. So don't be afraid! Go get yourself some Masa and impress your friends with homemade tortilla chips at your next party.