The Guys’ Guy’s Guide to Fish Tacos
Like snowflakes, no two fish tacos are alike.
Maybe that’s part of the allure for these Guy’s Guy favorites. Guy’s Guys are all about their grub and tacos are fun, tasty and open to interpretation. The notion of building each individual taco and holding it in your hand and admiring it before devouring is the stuff Guy’s Guys are made of. There are lots of taco recipes, including many made with meats. But let’s focus out attention on our beloved fish tacos and do them up with a twist and some fresh Guy’s Guy stylins’. Here are the ingredients for a yummy casual dinner that Guys and ladies can enjoy and a recipe that can be made indoors all year around.
The Drinks.
This is a no-brainer. Must start with margaritas. The usual recipe includes tequila, triple sec and limejuice or a store-bought mix. I suggest starting with a 100% agave tequila. I’ve been to Jalisco, Mexico for business and all agave is considered “blue”, so don’t be swayed. You also don’t to need to spend $50 for an aged banjo sipping tequila for margaritas. I prefer a reposado, which means its been laid down for a few months, or a silver tequila, as long as it’s 100% agave. Consider forgoing the triple sec and instead squeezing a heavy portion of fresh lime and adding any citrus juice. Tequila and citrus juice make a perfect match. If you have a gourmet margarita mix on hand (not the cheap stuff which is mostly sugar) add a quick pour. I prefer my margaritas on the rocks with kosher salt around the rim of the glass. If you squeeze the essence of the lime skin on the rim of the glass first, you’ll get a nice zesty taste. If you are not a fan of margaritas, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or seltzer with lime will do just fine.
The Guacamole.
Start with two ripe avocados. That means they should give a little when you squeeze them. Carve out the meat and toss the pit. Add finely chopped organic grape tomatoes, chopped onion and cilantro to taste and some finely ground Himalayan salt and fresh black pepper. If you want some kick you can add a half shot of tequila or a squeeze of organic lime. However, try it without those ingredients first and I’ll bet you won’t need any more bells and whistles. Pick up a bag of organic yellow corn tortilla chips and you’re good to go. I let the guacamole sit for about a half hour covered in the refrigerator before serving.
The Fish.
Although classic California fish tacos are made with cod, I promised a few Guy’s Guys twists. Wild-caught shrimp are always delicious on the grill, but I prefer skate for my tacos. Skate is very tasty and surprisingly affordable because the cool people have not yet discovered this overlooked fish. Slice up the skate (buy it from a good fish monger where there are no bones) and then dust in Wondra flour before shaking on a flavor spike made for fish and sprinkling on ground Himalayan salt and black pepper. I prefer Himalayan salt because it enhances the flavors of the food. Heat up a pan and cook the pieces of skate in organic sunflower oil. Heat up another pan to warm up a stack of soft organic corn tacos, then cover to keep them warm.
The Veggies.
I like to grill sliced red peppers and onions on an indoor grill pan to pile on the fish taco. This Guy’s Guy twist adds some fajita stylins’ to the festivities.
The Salsa, etc.
There are some delicious salsas sold in the supermarket, but if you prefer to make your own, simply dice up a few organic grape tomatoes and add chopped onion, cilantro, salt and pepper. That’s it, amigo. Add a few hot sauces and instead of sour cream, dollop some fat free organic Greek yogurt—you won’t know the difference. I also ladle the salsa and spread the guacamole on the tacos and cut up a lime to squeeze on them, too. Another option is to shred red cabbage to add crunch, but it’s not necessary. Your tacos are going to be pretty stacked already with the fish, peppers and onions. So all in all you’ve got the skate, grilled red peppers and onions, guacamole, fresh salsa, Greek yogurt, lime, tortillas, chips and margaritas and hot sauce. You’re good to go.
Well, that’s one recipe, but there are hundreds of ways to rustle up some tasty tacos. Bon appétit!
This week’s Guy’s Guy of the Week is Ralph Rubio who many consider the Guy who brought fish tacos to prominence in Southern California.
Do you have a go-to recipe for terrific tasting tacos? Guy’s Guys do.
