From: stine@jeeves.ucsd.edu (Blaine Stine)
Newsgroups: sdnet.eats
Subject: Re: Fish Tacos -- how to?
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:31:52 GMT
Distribution: sdnet
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <rlk.715461397@amstel> rlk@VisiCom.COM (Bob Kitzberger) writes:
>In an effort to put a newly-acquired tortilla machine to good use, I'd
>like to try my hand at making fish tacos.  I suppose I should post this
>question to rec.food.cooking, but I don't want to wade through 
>well-meaning but totally incorrect recipes from Illinois and Indiana ;-)  
>(my brother recently tried to make fish tacos at his home in Ohio.  He 
>used Ranch salad dressing, fer cryin' out loud, as the white sauce.  
>Orange Roughy as the fish! I thought Orange Roughy went out with disco?
>Sheesh...)
>
>We're talking Fins and Rubio's quality tacos and burritos*.  Does anybody
>know the secrets?  Recipes?
>
>1. What type of fish is used?
>2. What type of batter?
>3. What's that yummy white sauce made with?
>
>If you have a relative or friend that has worked at Fins or Rubio's, perhaps
>I can bribe them for the answer?
>
>	.Bob.
>
>*  Fins is (slightly) better than Rubio's.  Big 'ol shrimp burritos.  
>   Great salsa.  Sodas that actually have fizz in them.  Mira Mesa and 
>   Rancho Bernardo only, unfortunately.
>----------------
>Bob Kitzberger          VisiCom Laboratories, Inc.
>rlk@visicom.com         10052 Mesa Ridge Court, San Diego CA 92121 USA
>			+1 619 457 2111    FAX +1 619 457 0888

     Yeah Bob, I know.
  
	 I was shown how to make great fish tacos by the
 owners of Tropicans in Rosarito. The only thing I wonder
 about is this "newly-acquired tortilla machine"? It seems
 that your hands can do a fairly good job unless you need a
few thousand :-). Along that line good tortillas are key to
good fish tacos. If you use those nasty corn pucks they sell
at your neighborhood grocery store you're off to a bad
start. Go to Las Quatro Milpas down in Barrio Logan and pick
up a few dozen and use them as a bench mark for your newly-
acquired tortilla machine. You can also buy fresh masa while
 you are there. There is no reason to buy that dry masa mix 
when there is fresh ground masa available. It's kind of like 
fresh milk vs. that non-fat dry milk (blech) Also in North
 County you can get fresh masa daily at El Nopalito in 
Solana Beach on 101 or just off the 5 at Santa Fe. Anyway, 
the next important thing  is heating the tortillas. I use 
one of those stove top grills called an Asador. They are 
around $15 at Williams Sonoma and worth every penny. If you 
steam the tortillas by placing them in the oven covered with 
foil they'll fall apart when you add the salsa. You want a 
slightly crisp, but not dried out, tortilla and heating over 
direct flame is the best. (unless you have a well used comal 
on an open fire handy)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BLAINE'S TACOS AL PESCADO <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

	For the fish, the best is fresh halibut. I've 
experimented with others even scallops, but halibut is 
clearly the best. 1 lb will make loads of tacos so cough up 
the extra buck or two and get it from the Fish Market or 
another good high turnover place.

	Make up some Salsa Cruda or Salsa Fresca.

		2 large ripe tomatoes (or a few romas, chopped)
		1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
		1 med. onion (chopped)
		Sliced Serrano Chiles to taste (at least 4)
		Juice of a lime or two
		Dash of salt

	For the "Secret Sauce":

		3/4 cup Mayonnaise (approx.)
		1/3 cup Diced Celery (approx.)
		(my wife likes chopped pickles)
		Juice of two or three limes

	Thinly slice some green cabbage

	For the batter it is a very simple beer batter. I've 
	never quantified it but it's approximately the 
	following:

		1 cup flour
		1/4 cup yellow table mustard (Yep!)
		1/2 teaspoon salt
		couple shots of Tabasco / hot sauce 
		1-2 tablespoons baking powder
		Enough beer to make a good thick batter 
		(Don't use dark beer, it'll get bitter)

	Combine the flour and baking powder, add the rest and
 	lightly whisk to mix. Don't mix it too much.

	Cut the fish into 2" pieces and dip in the batter.
 	Deep fry the fish in corn oil at approx. 370 deg 
	until just golden. Drain on paper towels and 
	keep warm in the oven.

	Place a hot fish kibble on a hot tortilla, top with a 
	bit of cabbage, Secret Sauce and Salsa, have some 
	cold beer close at hand and you're ready to feast. We 
	serve up a few dozen during most big Laker games,
	have a few friends over and it's a lot of fun!


				Blaine Stine
				UCSD Biology
				stine@jeeves.ucsd.edu