Ricky’s Fish Tacos

A few years ago, I ate Ricky’s Fish Tacos in Los Angeles. I knew from the first bite that I was screwed because I knew that I would never be able to eat such a good fish taco again. What a taste explosion! I had to share this fish taco with you. Please do try this at home!

Ingredients (for 10 tacos)

Pico De Gallo

• 2 tomatoes
• 4 tbsp yellow onion, diced
• 1 bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1/2 lime
• 1/2 green jalapeño
• 1 generous pinch of salt and pepper

White sauce

• 4 tbsp sour cream
• 4 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Chill Jalapeno hot sauce
• 1 pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 lime (to serve)

Batter

• 250 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 160 ml beer (or water)
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise

Tacos

• 400 grams codfish fillets
• 1/2 head of crisp green lettuce
• Pack of 12cm soft corn tortillas

Preperation

step 1: pico de gallo

Quarter the tomatoes and cut out the pulp. Chop the flesh into small dice. Peel and dice the onion as fine as possible. Chop the jalapeños, avoiding the seeds (leave in the seed list if you like spicy food). Mix all three together with a squeeze of lime, salt , pepper and a few leaves of fresh coriander (cilantro) finely chopped. Leave on the side for later.

Step 2: White sauce

Mix up all the ingredients for the white sauce… simple as that!

Step 3: Batter

Put the flour into a bowl with the baking powder and salt. Whisk in the beer (or water) until you have a smooth, but thick batter. Add the mustard, oregano and mayo and whisk together.

Step 4: Batter and fry the codfish

Preheat a pan of lard to 180°C. Slice the codfish into parts about the size of your thumb. Season with salt and pepper then dust in flour. Dunk in the batter to coat, allow excess to drip off then lower into the lard to fry for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally.

Step 5: assemble the tacos

Drain the fried fish on kitchen paper to get rid of excess oil. Shred some washed, crisp, green lettuce and shred it super fine. Heat a pan (preferably non-stick coating) over medium heat. Carefully disassemble the tortillas. Place the tortillas in the dry pan (without butter or oil). Turn the tortilla every 20 seconds until it feels soft. Pile the lettuce into the taco, followed by the fried fish, top it off with plenty of the tomato salsa, a drizzle of the white sauce and squeeze of lime.