Fish Tacos

I don’t regularly eat fish, but all the delicious toppings in this recipe made it easy for me to get used to the idea. Feel free to substitute the flounder with any other white fish. I recommend preparing the onions and red cabbage slaw in advance, so they have time to marinate. All you have to do at dinnertime is fry the fish and assemble the tacos. The outcome is 110% worth it.

YIELDS 6 TACOS, SERVES 2–3

• vegetable oil, for frying
• 20 oz (570 g) flounder
• 6 soft taco shells or small wraps
• ¹⁄₂ avocado, thinly sliced
• ¹⁄₄ cup cilantro, chopped
• chili oil
• 1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced

QUICKLED (QUICK-PICKLED) ONION

• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1¹⁄₂ cups white vinegar
• 6 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp salt
• 1 tsp peppercorns

RED CABBAGE SLAW

• ¹⁄₄ cup fresh lime juice
• ¹⁄₄ cup white wine vinegar
• 1¹⁄₂ Tbsp soy sauce
• 1¹⁄₂ Tbsp sugar
• 12–14 oz (340–400 g) red cabbage, sliced
• ¹⁄₂ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• salt, to taste

SPICY MAYO

• ¹⁄₄ cup mayonnaise
• ¹⁄₂ Tbsp Frank’s hot sauce
• 1 Tbsp sriracha

To make the onions: Place the onions and garlic in a glass or ceramic bowl, or any bowl that can handle heat. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and peppercorns.

Whisk to dissolve and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the onions and garlic. Press down on the onions so they’re fully submerged in the brine. Once the onions are cool, transfer to a container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

To make the slaw: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lime juice, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar until everything is dissolved. Add the cabbage and parsley and mix well. Taste the mixture and add a pinch of salt at a time. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine all the spicy mayo ingredients in a small container and set aside.

To prepare the fish: Pour a thin layer of vegetable oil in a large frying pan, and fry the fish for 3 minutes on each side until cooked through and slightly crispy.

To assemble the tacos: Streak a spoonful of spicy mayo across the center of each soft taco shell. Place the fish, slaw, onions, and one slice of avocado on top. Add a drizzle of chili oil, three slices of jalapeño, and some cilantro as garnish.

Serve in a large rimmed dish to keep the tacos intact.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 700)