These are the tacos that bring back the feeling of a weathered seaside counter: hot fish in a light beer batter, cool lettuce and tomato, a swipe of chile mayo, and ruby pickled onions…These are the tacos that bring back the feeling of a weathered seaside counter: hot fish in a light beer batter, cool lettuce and tomato, a swipe of chile mayo, and ruby pickled onions tucked into warm flour tortillas. Every bite moves from crisp to creamy to bright, with just enough heat to keep you reaching for the next one.
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Prep35 min1
Cook25 min
Total time2 hr
Serves4
1Prep: 35 min plus at least 1 hr for pickling
Savoroid Adapted from a member recipe
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts are adjusted. Steps, cooking times, equipment, and the Shopping List use the original recipe for 4 servings.
Check off ingredients as you prep.
1 medium red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, for the pickled onions
7 ounces little gem or romaine lettuce, thinly shaved and cut into short strips
7 ounces ripe tomato, cut into small dice with its juice and seed pulp reserved
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeño
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, for the slaw
Juice of 1/2 lime, about 1 tablespoon
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup sambal oelek or sriracha
2 pounds skinless cod or haddock fillets
1 teaspoon kosher salt, for seasoning the fish
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, for the batter
1/2 cup white rice flour, for the batter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, for the batter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
12 fluid ounces cold lager or pilsner, as needed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons white rice flour, for dredging
Neutral cooking oil, about 2 quarts or enough to fill a heavy pot no more than halfway
20 small flour tortillas
Allergen check: Egg, Fish, Wheat recognized in these ingredients. Check package labels and substitutions.
Step by step
Begin with the onions, preferably a day ahead but at least 1 hour before dinner. Pack the sliced red onion into a heatproof bowl or jar. Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until dissolved. Pour the hot brine over the onion, press the slices beneath the liquid, and cool to room temperature.
Cut the fish into 16 to 20 evenly thick planks, roughly 4 inches long and 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Season all sides with 1 teaspoon salt, arrange the pieces on a rack or plate, and refrigerate uncovered while you prepare the batter.
Whisk 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the baking powder in a bowl. Gradually whisk in about 10 fluid ounces of the cold beer. Add more only as needed to make a smooth batter that flows like thin pancake batter and leaves a light coating on a spoon. Refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes.
Keep the lettuce, tomato and its juices, cilantro, and jalapeño separate until close to serving so the lettuce stays lively. In another bowl, stir the mayonnaise and sambal together until smooth.
Pour the neutral oil into a Dutch oven or other deep, heavy pot, filling it no more than halfway. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby and heat the oil to 375°F (190°C). Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons each all-purpose flour and rice flour on a shallow plate.
Working with cold fish and batter, lightly coat each fish plank in the flour dredge and shake away every visible clump. Dip a piece into the batter, let the excess stream back into the bowl, and support it from underneath with a fork. Lower one end into the oil away from your body; hold it near the surface for a moment until the coating begins to set, then release it gently.
Fry about 5 or 6 pieces at a time without crowding the pot. Adjust the heat to keep the oil between 350°F and 365°F (176°C and 185°C). Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once if necessary, until the coating is deep golden and the fish is opaque, flakes readily, and reaches 145°F (63°C) at its thickest point. Transfer it to the rack and allow the oil to return to 375°F before adding the next batch.
While the later batches fry, toss the lettuce, tomato and all its juices, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together. Mix only until evenly dressed so it remains fresh and crisp.
Warm the tortillas on a dry griddle or skillet until soft and flexible, stacking them beneath a clean towel as they come off the heat. Spread each with a thin layer of spicy mayo, add one piece of hot fried fish, and finish with the lettuce-tomato slaw and well-drained pickled onions. Carry them straight to the table while the crust still crackles—DUNZO!
Prep Time: 35 minutes, plus at least 1 hour for pickling
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield & storage
Original yield
20 small tacos
Storage
For the best texture, serve the tacos immediately. Refrigerate leftover cooked fish, slaw, and spicy mayo separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days; keep pickled onions submerged in their brine for up to 2 weeks. Reheat fish on a rack in a 400°F convection oven or air fryer until hot and crisp, reaching 165°F internally. Do not store assembled tacos.
From Tony’s kitchen
These are the tacos that bring back the feeling of a weathered seaside counter: hot fish in a light beer batter, cool lettuce and tomato, a swipe of chile mayo, and ruby pickled onions tucked into warm flour tortillas. Every bite moves from crisp to creamy to bright, with just enough heat to keep you reaching for the next one.
Nutrition • per serving
Ingredient notes
Ingredients & allergen check
Major-allergen signals: Egg, Fish, Wheat
Recipe ingredients
Red onion
plus distilled white vinegar
plus water
granulated sugar
kosher salt, for the pickled onions
little gem or romaine lettuce, thinly shaved and cut into short strips
ripe tomato, cut into small dice with its juice and seed pulp reserved
loosely packed fresh cilantro
jalapeño
kosher salt, for the slaw
Juice of 1/2 lime, about
plus mayonnaise
sambal oelek or sriracha
skinless cod or haddock fillets
kosher salt, for seasoning the fish
all-purpose flour, for the batter
white rice flour, for the batter
kosher salt, for the batter
baking powder
cold lager or pilsner, as needed
all-purpose flour, for dredging
white rice flour, for dredging
Neutral cooking oil, about 2 quarts or enough to fill a heavy pot no more than halfway
flour tortillas
Check every package label. Brands, substitutions, shared equipment, and cross-contact can change allergen exposure.
Tony’s Fine Print
They tell me every recipe needs a little fine print, so here’s mine. I do my best to keep things straight, no surprises and no sneaky allergens. The info you see here is put together with care, capisce? But kitchens are wild places and ingredients do not always behave. Always double-check the labels on what you buy, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions. If something does not look right, trust your gut (and your doctor) before you trust me. Bottom line: I am here to guide, not to diagnose. You cook, you taste, you take responsibility.
Add, remove, or swap ingredients; work around allergies; or try another Salted Perfection blend. Tony keeps the soul of the recipe unless you ask him to take it further.
