Recipe #118

Cerveza-Battered Fish Tacos with Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons salt
12 ounces beer
3 (8-ounce) tilapia fillets, cut into chunks
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber, recipe follows

Directions

Fill a large pot with oil halfway up the pot. Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Preheat grill.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup flour, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Slowly whisk in beer until thick, but not runny. Dredge fish in remaining flour first, then dunk in the batter. Fry in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper-toweled lined plate.

Meanwhile, grill tortillas on grill.

Serve fish in tortillas topped with Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber.

Quick-Pickled Onion and Cucumber:

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
1 large red onion, medium dice
1 large Vidalia onion, medium dice
1 English cucumber, medium dice
1 habanero Chile, seeds removed, minced
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves

In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Add onions and cucumber and continue to cook a few minutes more. Remove from heat, add Chile, and transfer to a bowl. Let cool slightly then chill covered, for at least 1 hour.

Toss in the tomato and cilantro, 5 minutes before serving.