Catfish Tacos with Avocado Crema

Serves 4

Wild catfish are bottom-feeders and can taste very muddy. Farm-raised catfish, on the other hand, are fed a diet of corn, and the taste of their flesh is mild and clean. My grandfather’s pond had never been stocked with catfish, but occasionally we’d catch one anyway! He explained to me that it was possible that the eggs had traveled on the feet of waterbirds traveling from pond to pond. That, along with many other things about the pond, was a source of wonderment to me. We were taught to heed the water, respect nature, watch out for snakes, and throw back the fish that were too small and the bass that were clearly full and heavy with eggs. Those early lessons eventually led me to the advocacy work that I do for sustainable seafood—including suggesting sustainable farm-raised catfish for this recipe.

• For the crema
• 1 avocado
• ¼ jalapeño, or to taste, seeded and chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro with stems
• 1 cup water
• Juice of ½ lime
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the pickled onions
• ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano, or ½ teaspoon dried
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the slaw
• ¼ cabbage, cored and thinly shaved
• ¼ cup carrot matchsticks, or 2 carrots, grated
• 2 or 3 medium radishes, grated
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the fish
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 pound catfish fillets, cut on an angle into 1-inch-wide strips
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 small jalapeño, or to taste, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, for serving
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
• 1 cup grated queso fresco (4 ounces), for serving

1 To make the avocado crema, place the avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, the water, and lime juice in a blender. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2 To make the pickled onions, place the red onion, vinegar, and oregano in a bowl or mason jar. Season with salt and pepper. Stir or shake to combine. Set aside.

3 To make the slaw, combine the cabbage, carrot, and radish in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

4 To make the fish, heat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scatter the sliced poblano over the prepared baking sheet. Bake until just tender, about 10 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, combine the catfish strips, lime juice, green onion, jalapeño, and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Once the peppers have cooked for 10 minutes, place the catfish mixture directly on top of the peppers and return to the oven. Cook until the fish is firm and white, about 8 minutes.

6 To serve, spread a dollop of avocado crema on a warmed tortilla. Top with fish and peppers, slaw, pickled onions, cilantro, and queso fresco. Serve immediately.