crispy baja fish taco bowls with chipotle mayo
Look at me, frying shit without igniting my house!
I am really not one to fry food. I typically leave that indulgence for shit like calamari at a seafood place, partially because I’m scared shitless of hot oil and partially because I just don’t really crave that style all that much. But for some reason, in this particular instance, a good beer battered fish sounded like the right thing to do.
I’ve very few (if any) non-salmon fish recipes on FMG, so we’re breaking stride here with Crispy Baja Fish Taco Bowls. Guys, these are just fab. Colorful, filling, a bit of a “treat yoself” spring dish that’s loads of fun yet relatively easy to prepare and not a giant greasebomb like most takeout. We’re filling up these mounds of rice with crispy cod battered and perfectly shallow fried, a hearty blend of greens, and a finishing drizzle or five of an addicting spicy chipotle mayo.
Nothing hard here, and for real – don’t be intimidated by frying! If I managed to keep my house intact after heating a skillet with loads of piping canola oil, so can you, friends.
Batter Up!
First off, if you don’t own a candy thermometer and plan to make some nice fried cod, go buy one. This will make frying enormously less scary. Most normal-ass grocery stores carry them.
Second, get a high smoke-point oil. I always cook with olive oil in candid, but that will not do for frying unless you actually want to bring down the house via grease fire. Nor will avocado, so drop any notion of “lightening up the dish with a better oil.” Peanut and canola are good options. Remember, we’re going for crisp and for flavor here.
When you’ve got both those things on hand, you can start!
I chose cod for the job, since it’s sturdy and holds up really well to frying. Any firm white fish works well. Dry the filets off very well – I wrapped mine in paper towels and let them sit for awhile during my usual pre-cooking piddy-farting-around-the-kitchen – then cut them into 1-inch ish pieces.
Mix up a batter of flour, beer (I chose a Mexican beer here, but any ale/lager is fine), baking powder, and garlic and onion powders.
With your handy dandy thermometer, heat the oil to 350 degrees. Dip the fish bites into the batter and place into the oil. Fry about 3 minutes, flip, then fry 2 more minutes. Scoop out any stray bits of batter floating around the oil, as these will dirty up the bath and impact how your other batches fry up. Use a slotted spoon to move the fish to a large paper towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with flaky salt.
The result here is a perfectly golden, airy filet o’ fish that matches anything you’d get in a restaurant. Honestly, I’d just eat them straight up if I weren’t telling you how to make a fish bowl with them. Some fries, tartar sauce, ranch..mmm.
Fill That Fish Tank
The rest of the bowl is just chopping some good shit. Avocado, cucumber, and romaine lettuce for me. You can definitely use slaw if you’re so inclined – I just prefer romaine, and I have a shit ton in my fridge anyway. I know cucumbers aren’t necessarily traditional in a taco, but again, use what you’ve got, and I had lots of cukes to go through.
Of course, can’t do a bowl without a damn good sauce. Chipotle mayo, in this case. A bit spicy, a bit garlicky, a touch shalty…bruh.
I also make a batch of simple quick pickled red onions, which can be used in a variety of ways, from sandwiches to salads, burgers, and more bowls. Toss that shit on anything. All you need to do is heat some water, then stir into vinegar, sugar, and salt until the granules dissolve. Pour the mixture over some thinly sliced red onions, cover, and let sit about 30 minutes. These last a real long time in the fridge, if you have some left.
If you have leftover fish to reheat, I’d recommend warming it in the oven at 350 for about 8-10 minutes. Microwaving will result in a soggy filet. No bueno.
See? Not so bad, right? And the payoff is pretty fucking amazing.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
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crispy baja fish taco bowls with chipotle mayo
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb cod, or another firm white fish
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup Mexican beer
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- high smoke point oil, for frying
- 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 3-4 Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 1 can black beans, drained
- steamed rice, fresh cilantro, limes, and pickled red onions, to serve
chipotle mayo
- 1 cup vegan mayonnaise (or regular)
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Dry the cod filets very well. Cut into bite sized pieces.
- In a bowl, stir together the flour, beer, baking powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Line a large plate with paper towels.
- Fill a heavy-bottom skillet with 1 inch of oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Dip each piece of cod into the batter, shake off excess, and carefully set into the oil. I fit about 6 pieces into the skillet per batch. Fry for 3 minutes, flip, then fry for 2 minutes more. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and set onto the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining cod and batter. When all the cod is fried, sprinkle with flaky salt.
- To make the chipotle mayo, stir together the mayonnaise, chipotles and the adobo sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Fill bowls with rice and shredded romaine. Top with 2-3 pieces of cod each, then cucumbers, avocado, pickled red onion, and cilantro. Drizzle with the chipotle mayo.
