Baja Fish Tacos

The fish taco is to Baja, California, as the cheese steak is to Philly or the deep-dish pizza is to Chicago. They are sold in taquerias, restaurants, bars, and by street vendors everywhere. This is truly a signature regional dish whose popularity has spread to all corners of the United States.

Cabbage, pico de gallo, and avocado are the classic toppings, but I’ve had wonderful riffs on the theme with chopped mango, pineapple, tomato, cilantro, pickled cabbage, red pepper, cucumber, scallions, raw onion, pickled onion, grilled onion, minced jalapeño, shredded cheese, and more. Purists may object, but your taste buds will not.

The original is deep-fried, but grilling really lets fresh fish shine. Heck, you can even smoke the fish if you wish.

Makes 2 servings

Takes 45 minutes

  • 1 pound skinless mild white-fleshed fish fillets, such as snapper, mahi-mahi, grouper, or tilapia
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, plus more for coating the fish
  • 2½ teaspoons finely chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
  • 4 fresh corn tortillas (see Note)
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 2 limes, quartered
  • ¼ small head cabbage, shredded
  • Pico de gallo or red salsa

1. Prep. Put the fish fillets on a plate. Sprinkle them with about ½ teaspoon salt, and dust them liberally with the ancho chile powder and black pepper.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, and the chipotle in adobo. Season with a pinch of salt. Refrigerate.

3. Fire up. Set up a grill in a two-zone configuration. (The indirect zone is the safe zone.) Preheat the grill and a metal grill topper (see page 103) to medium-high heat in the direct zone.

4. Cook. Coat the fish with a thin layer of mayonnaise and place it on the hot grill topper. Cook the fish with the lid up until you get some nice golden color on one side. Turn the fish over and cook until the internal temperature is about 125°F. It shouldn’t need more than 5 minutes per side. Don’t worry if the fish starts to break apart. Transfer the fish to a warm bowl and break it into large chunks.

5. Meanwhile, to cook the tortillas, warm an empty skillet that is just larger than the tortillas. Lightly toast them by tossing them on the hot grill for about 30 seconds per side, until they get a few dark spots. Be careful not to dry them out, as they need to be flexible. Put them in the skillet and cover it to keep them warm. If they are a little stiff when you open the pan to use them, moisten two paper towels, squeeze out most of the water, sandwich the tortillas between them, and heat in the microwave for just a few seconds or in the oven until pliable.

6. While the fish and tortillas are cooking, halve the avocado, remove the pit, and carefully scoop out the flesh. Lay it curved side up on a cutting board and cut it into ¼-inch-thick slices. Put them in a bowl and drizzle with some lime juice to keep them from browning. Put the cabbage and pico de gallo in separate bowls with spoons so people can assemble their own tacos at the table.

7. Serve. Divide the fish among the tortillas. Top with the sour cream mixture and any toppings you like. Serve with the lime wedges.

Note: The classic fish taco is made with corn tortillas, but flour tortillas work just fine. You can get fresh tortillas at a Mexican market; otherwise, supermarket tortillas will work. If the tortillas are thin, double them up.