Ivar’s Crispy Fish Tacos
Ivar’s is one of the nation’s largest buyers of fresh cod, but it isn’t all saved for fish-andchips—we have a perpetual friendly battle among our chefs to create the best fish tacos.
Created by chef Ray Espinoza, an employee since 1982, these fish tacos, which layer warm
flour tortillas with romaine lettuce, salsa, cotija cheese, sour cream, fried cod, and a modern, Thai-inspired taco sauce, are one of our best sellers year after year.
Serves 4
For the sauce:
½ cup mayonnaise
1. To
make the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together all the
ingredients.
¼ cup sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce (more if you
like your tacos spicy)
120 Canola or other vegetable oil, for
frying
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
12 ounces cod fillets, cut into 16
equal pieces
Eight 6-inch flour or corn tortillas,
warmed
2 cups finely shredded romaine
lettuce (from 1 head)
½ cup salsa
2½ to 3 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven (preferably
6-quart) over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees F
on a deep-fat thermometer. Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. While the oil heats, stir together the flour,
salt, and pepper on a pie plate or shallow dish. Coat the fish
with the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Fry the cod
in batches, turning, for 4 to 6 minutes each batch, until golden
brown on the outside and just opaque in the center. Do not
crowd the fish, keep the pieces turning, and keep the oil temperature at 375 degrees F. With a slotted spoon, transfer the fish
to the prepared baking sheet as it finishes cooking.
3. Spread
each tortilla with the taco sauce. Top with some lettuce, 2 pieces of fish, and a spoonful of salsa. Sprinkle with the
cheese and add a drizzle of sour cream. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
¼ cup cotija cheese*
3 tablespoons sour cream
4. Enjoy
the tacos with plenty of napkins; they’re delightfully
messy.
*
Cotija cheese is a hard, crumbly cow's milk
cheese used often in Mexican cooking. If you
can't find it, substitute crumbled feta or shredded
Monterey Jack cheese.
E N TR É ES
Ivar’s Seafood Cookbook
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
2. Heat
121