71. Buttermilk-Marinated Calamari Tacos with Jicama-Cabbage Slaw and Chipotle-Honey Aioli

This post contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!

I got the idea for this recipe from my husband.  I've found that the further I get with this project, the more grateful I am for anyone who gives me an idea or says something that ends up inspiring my next recipe!  My last recipe would not have happened if it were not for my youngest sister.  As soon as she said, "Big Mac Tacos!", I had some direction.  (They were surprisingly good, by the way.)

Anyway, Steve suggested fried calamari tacos.  Yes.  Of course!  We reminisced about some really great fried calamari with a spicy-sweet sauce that we ordered a few years ago at a short-lived Ah-So Sushi and Steak restaurant here in Casa Grande.  (It was good; that was truly a bummer when it closed!)  That gave me the idea for this recipe.

I didn't really want to use Sriracha, which may have been the magic ingredient of the sauce that we remembered.  I thought that might be too close to my Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Sriracha Sauce (#28), and I am trying to be original with each new recipe!  I decided to flavor the sauce with chipotle, and I used one of my favorite ingredients to have on hand at all times:  chipotle puree!  All you need is a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

I would recommend a small can, because a little goes a long way.  Basically, all you need to do is blend up the entire contents of the can (I use a hand blender) until it is a smooth(ish) paste, and then put it in any container you wish.  I use a small 1/2 cup Rubbermaid container that is now stained red for all eternity!  Ha ha.

Every once in a while, I throw out the rest and blend up a fresh can.  Seriously, though - this stuff keeps for a long time.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but I've kept mine for months!  Many months.  The high amount of chile and vinegar seems to prevent anything bad from growing in there!  It's kind of like mustard or Tabasco!  Since I live in Arizona, a can of this is available at any of our local grocery stores, but you can get it from Amazon if it's hard for you to find.  The Goya brand seems to be the best deal in the small size.  I think they're all pretty similar:



I first heard about this useful ingredient in a cookbook by Annie Somerville, the chef of Greens restaurant in San Francisco, though I've since run across the suggestion in a few other places as well.  I would highly recommend the cookbook, by the way.  It's a great one!  :)



What was I talking about?  Oh, yes.  Calamari tacos.  I can go off on a fun tangent rather quickly.  My students would attest to that.  Ha ha.

Without further ado, here's the recipe!  :)

Buttermilk-Marinated Calamari Tacos with Jicama-Cabbage Slaw and Chipotle-Honey Aioli

Serves 3-4 (about 8 tacos)

Ingredients:

For the chipotle-honey aioli:

3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. chipotle puree
1 small clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
1 and 1/2 tbsp. honey

Juice of half a lime
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

For the jicama-cabbage slaw:

2 cups shredded cabbage  (I used the shredder blade on my food processor for the cabbage, jicama, and carrot.)

1 cup peeled and shredded jicama
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 Fresno chile pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. white vinegar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the buttermilk-marinated calamari:

1 lb. calamari, tubes cut into 1/2 inch strips and tentacles left whole

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Canola oil for frying

8 to 16 corn tortillas, depending on whether you want to double them up

Lime slices, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1.  Marinate the calamari:  Place the calamari pieces in a shallow bowl and add the buttermilk.  Stir to combine, cover, and place in the refrigerator.  Allow to marinate for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours.

2.  Make the aioli:  Stir all the aioli ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.  Cover and set aside.

3.  Make the slaw:  Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a medium bowl.  Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.  Cover and set aside.

4.  Prepare the calamari:  Pour the calamari and buttermilk in a colander and allow to drain.  (Mine took several minutes.  Drain as well as possible.)

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

5.  While the calamari are draining, prepare the tortillas:  Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, one by one, until browned but still soft, about 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.  

As the tortillas are done, stack them on a sheet of foil.  When they are all finished, wrap them in the foil.  Place them in the oven to keep warm.

6.  Fry the calamari in batches:  Add canola oil to a large saucepan until a depth of about 2 to 3 inches is reached.   Heat the oil to about 360 degrees.  Add a medium handful of calamari to the flour and cornmeal mixture.  Toss to coat.  Add to the hot oil and fry until the coating is light golden brown and the calamari is just done, about 1 minute.  

Note:  Please be very careful and use a deep pot.  Because of the moisture from the buttermilk, mine bubbled up quite a bit when I added the calamari.  Make sure you have LOTS of room in the pan to allow for that! 

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.  After draining, transfer to a baking sheet lined with clean paper towels.  Repeat this process as needed.  Keep the baking sheet in the warm oven and transfer more calamari as they are ready.  (It took about three batches to cook my calamari.)    

7.  When all the components are ready, assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a tortilla on a plate.  (If your tortillas are thin, as mine were, double them up!)  Top with some of the calamari.  Spoon on some of the slaw.  Drizzle with a generous amount of the aioli.  Garnish with a squeeze or two of lime.  Enjoy!

Well, these were fun (and pretty good), but I do have a couple of recommendations.  The sauce and the slaw were both great accompaniments to the calamari.  The calamari itself turned out all right, but it was tough to execute.  Honestly, the middle of Arizona is probably not the best place to get calamari, you know what I mean?  I got mine from the freezer section of our local grocery store.  If you have access to high-quality fresh calamari, I would buy that instead!  Both times I've tried cooking frozen (thawed) calamari, it's been less than impressive.

I also wouldn't try this if you're not used to deep frying or haven't made fried calamari before.  I tried removing them from the hot oil with tongs, and it was hard to get them all on the first pass or two.  Consequently, some pieces were more "done" than others.  With calamari, it's better to not overcook them.  Otherwise, they get chewy!  I was wishing I had some kind of metal basket or large metal slotted spoon!

Don't get me wrong - these tasted great and we enjoyed them!  It just wasn't the best calamari I've ever had.  I don't think that was the fault of the recipe, though.  I think top-quality calamari and a couple of better tools to handle the frying process would have made a big difference!

By the way, I'm pretty sure these would be amazing with shrimp or some kind of fish if you want to go that route.  In that case, you could deep fry them for a bit longer!  One thing that bugs me about calamari is that it's tough to get the coating crispy without overcooking it.

Well, on to the next one!  Tomorrow, I think I'm going to try making a rolled potato taco with flavors inspired by an Indian samosa.  To me, rolled tacos need guacamole and cheese.  How am I going to incorporate that?  Hmmm.  :)

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Have you ever made fried calamari at home?  How did it go?  Did you try these tacos?  What did you think?

Thanks for reading!

Stitch Fix #21 Review - May/June 2016 - $700 Giveaway!!!

Stitch Fix Review - May/June 2016 - $700 Giveaway!!!

Note:  This point contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!  :)

Summer is here!  Well . . . technically, it's still spring.  I'm on summer vacation, though, and it's already getting hot here.  That spells summer to me!

This is going to be a special Stitch Fix review post.  I've been enjoying Stitch Fix so much that I've partnered with some other bloggers to offer a HUGE Stitch Fix giveaway!  One of our lucky readers will win a $700 Stitch Fix gift card.  Yes, you read that right.  Seven.  Hundred.  Dollars.  Exciting, right?

Speaking of exciting, that's exactly how I felt when this box arrived at my door.  I could hear something solid clunking around in there, so I was pretty sure that I had received another pair of shoes!

My youngest sister was over for the afternoon, and she brought the fix that she had just received.  I got mine during her visit, so we had a fun time being Stitch Fix nerds together!  Actually, I loved one of the dresses that she got.  I pinned it on my Stitch Fix Inspiration Pinterest board.  I think she kept it, so if I end up receiving it, I'll probably have to make sure that we don't wear it to the same event.  Ha ha.

If you're reading this, you're probably familiar with Stitch Fix, but if not, read on for a brief description of my history with Stitch Fix (and a couple of other clothing-by-mail services) and a short explanation of how the whole thing works:

I became a member of Stitch Fix in January of 2015, and I am definitely a fan!  My closet has improved 1000% since then.  I've found that fashion can be addicting, though.  In October of 2015, I tried Golden Tote, another clothing-by-mail service!  I may never see the inside of a mall again!  :)

If you've never heard of Golden Tote, you can follow the links below to any of my reviews and get the scoop on this other great service.  It's a little different than Stitch Fix, but I've found it equally fun!  I've gotten six totes so far, along with a couple of mystery totes.  (Those weren't quite as successful, but what can you do?)  It's addicting!  Anyway, here are my Golden Tote reviews if you're interested!

Golden Tote Review - April 2016
Golden Tote Review - March 2016
Golden Tote Review - February 2016
Golden Tote Review - January Mystery Totes
Golden Tote Review - December 2015
Golden Tote Review - November 2015
Golden Tote Review - October 2015

Before I get on with Stitch Fix, I have to post one more link.  O.o

This is a little embarrassing, but there is another clothing box service called Trunk Club that I recently tried.  Why?  I don't know.  Because it was there.  That's all I can tell you.  Ha ha.  It was fun, though I ended up sending most of the items back.  Here's my review of that experience (this one includes a link-up):

Trunk Club #1 Review and Link-Up - April 2016

OK.  Back to Stitch Fix!

To get started, you go to their website and fill out your style profile!  That gives you a chance to show your stylist your measurements, usual sizes, how you like things to fit, and the styles that generally appeal to you.  If you're interested in checking it out, please consider following my link to schedule your first fix!  (I just recently joined Stitch Fix's affiliate program, which means I get a small commission for anyone who signs up using my link.  However, my opinions are always my own and I pay for all of my own fixes!)

When you order a fix, you pay $20.00 to have your own personal stylist look at your style profile and preferences (which can include a Pinterest board).  They will choose five clothing and/or accessory items specifically for you.  They are shipped right to your doorstep!  You have three days to try the items with other things in your own wardrobe and decide if you want to keep them.  The $20.00 styling fee is credited toward any items that you decide to purchase, and you receive a prepaid shipping envelope to return anything that you don't want.  If you happen to keep all five items, you receive a 25% discount on the whole box!  You can choose to receive fixes every month, every few weeks, or only once in a while.  Here are some links to my previous reviews, if you'd like to check them out:

April 2016 - #20
March 2016 - #19
February 2016 - #18
February 2016 - #17
January 2016 - #16
December 2015 - #15
November 2015 - #14
November 2015 - #13
October 2015 - #12
September 2015 - #11
Stitch Fix Keepers
September 2015 - #10
August 2015 - #9

It is possible to peek (using Stitch Fix's mobile app) at what you're getting in your fix once it has shipped.  I have to admit - in the past, I usually have.  I think I'm over it, though.  It's more fun when I don't peek!  Here's what I saw when I opened the box:

More shoes!  (I've gotten shoes in my last two fixes.)  Stitch Fix just recently started offering shoes, which gives me yet another reason to keep ordering fixes . . . ha ha.

Anyway, look at these pretty colors!  I liked the variety - stripes, some lace detail, a little boho, a little edge . . . That's how I roll!

One of the nice things about Stitch Fix is that they send you a style card with ideas for each of the items that you receive.  If you're clueless about fashion (as I can be sometimes), it's nice to see a couple of different ways to wear a new style.

Lauren was my stylist again!  :)  I feel like she really gets me!  Even if an item doesn't work, I can usually see why she chose to send it to me.  Here's her note:

Awww.  That's so nice!  She obviously looked at my blog, because she mentioned the Lucky wedges that I received from Trunk Club and she noticed my taco recipes!  Ha ha.

Well . . . here we go!  Here's what I got:

1. Alice Blue Earlson Split Neck Blouse - $44.00

This top is one that I recently added to my Pinterest board.  It's everything I would want in a summer top - bright colors, fun pattern, and no sleeves!

Lauren suggested that I try it with the crochet shorts that I kept from my last fix and my Lucky wedges from Trunk Club, so that's what I did.  It's a fun outfit!

Unfortunately, there were two things that I didn't like about this shirt.  First of all, it was tight around the bottom.  You can kind of see it in the photos.  I found that odd - it fit everywhere else.  The fabric doesn't stretch, so I had a feeling it would constantly be riding up.  

Also, the fabric at the neckline bunched up slightly and wouldn't lie completely flat.  That's a pet peeve of mine.  My husband said he didn't think that was a big deal, so it's probably just me.  I'm the one that has to wear the shirt, though!  Oh, well.  This was very, very close!

Verdict:  RETURN

2. Fun2Fun Cromwell Henley Top - $54.00

The print and colors of this long-sleeve/tab-sleeve top are really fun, but there were a few reasons why I didn't love it.  First of all, it was cut a little slim through the hips.  When a wear a tunic top like this, I want it to flow freely and not cling to the sides of my pants.  

It also had neckline issues!  The fabric is quite flowy and not stiff at all.  One side of the fabric above the v-neck would just not stay up.  That's always a deal breaker for me.

The fabric of this top was quite lightweight, but this is still not something I would wear during the summer.  I seriously live in shorts and short sleeved or sleeveless tops all summer long.  If this had been perfect, I could have saved it for fall, but it wasn't.

To top it all off, I noticed that the fabric content was 100% rayon and the fabric care tag said "Hang to dry in the shade."  That's code for "This shirt will definitely shrink even if you wash it in cold."  Ha ha.

I have had some frustration with 100% rayon items lately.  It's disappointing when something that you love shrinks and it's suddenly too short!  I emailed Stitch Fix and asked them to make a note on my profile that states I would like to avoid 100% rayon items in the future.

Unfortunately, this top was just a miss for me.

Verdict:  RETURN

3. Pixley Banu Mesh Neckline Knit Top - $54.00

This top is another one that I had recently pinned.  I actually liked it even better in person.  When I first took it out of the box, I thought the see-through neckline was a little low, but once I put it on, I realized it was fine.

Look at the back - how cute!  I love the zipper!

This top definitely needs a strapless bra, but it seems like most of my favorite summer tops are that way.  At first, I thought even a strapless one might show.  Fortunately, the mesh/lace detail is just out of the way of the bra line (at least on me).  Not a problem!

I love this top!  I'll be wearing it quite a bit this summer!  :)

Verdict:  KEEP

4. Eden Society Elodie Printed Short - $64.00

I was a bit torn about these shorts.  I loved the stripes!  However, they were a little snug.  The crochet shorts that I received in my last fix were also made by Eden Society and I ended up exchanging those for a large.  Maybe a medium in that particular brand just doesn't work for me.  

The fabric was a very soft, comfortable knit.  However, I felt like I needed a bit more support.  To be more specific, I felt that if I got one of those "Buns of Steel" VHS tapes from the 80s and did those exercises diligently every day, the shorts might have worked.  Ha ha.  I don't really see that happening.  

I was already sure that I would not be keeping all five items.  If you keep three to four, it usually makes sense to keep all five (to get the discount).  If I had kept everything and done a size exchange on the shorts, I was afraid that I still might have found the fabric a little flimsy and unsupportive.  Then I'd be stuck with a couple of items I wasn't crazy about.  

Would I like to try a large?  Yes.  I requested them for my next fix.  I'm hoping I can try them if they're in stock.  If not, no big deal.  

I really liked these, but both my mom and my husband gave them a "Meh."  We'll see.  If it's meant to be, maybe I'll get the large in my next shipment!

Verdict:  RETURN

5. Sol Sana Foster iii Slide Sandal - $95.00

There is not much to say about these shoes.  I love them!  They're comfortable, they fit my feet perfectly (let's say just barely), and I will probably live in them all summer.

My feet are very narrow, and these fit me just right!  They stay on!  The two lower straps are also adjustable - if the leather stretches out, I can still make them tighter.  :)

I think these are now (officially) my favorite sandals!  Yay!

Verdict:  KEEP

So, that's it!  I'm thrilled that I received two items that I love, and I'm really looking forward to next time!

Now it's time for the fun stuff:  Below, you'll find a Rafflecopter giveaway for the $700 Stitch Fix card.  All you have to do is click the boxes to follow as many participating bloggers on social media as you can.  The more people you follow, the more entries you receive!  I'm so excited to work with Maria of Crazy Together and Kinder Craze, who organized the giveaway.  Please enter and good luck!  :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

By the way, if you'd like an easy way to see Stitch Fix items that other people have received, you can check out some other great Stitch Fix reviews by visiting Maria's linkup on her blog:

http://www.crazytogether.com/june-stitch-fix-review-37-giveaway/2

Please comment!  Did I make the right calls?  Have you received any of these items?  What did you think?

Thanks again for reading!

70. Big Mac Tacos

This post contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!

All right.  I know what you're thinking.  Don't laugh!

Well . . . you can.  I did.  Yes, this is what it's come to.  I'm bound and determined to finish my project successfully and reach my one hundredth taco recipe by August 2nd!

I got this idea from my youngest sister.  As soon as she said, "Big Mac tacos?"  I knew that had to be a thing?  Why not?  There was a time in my life that I loved Big Macs.  I lived in New York City for a short time during my early twenties and spent lots of time eating at McDonald's and never paying the price because I walked everywhere!

Then I went through an eight-year vegetarian period where I wouldn't even consider eating at McDonald's.  Even after I was no longer a vegetarian, I steered clear.  In general, I still do.  Last summer, I went on a family vacation involving two little boys under the age of four.  Where did we stop on the road?  You guessed it!  What did I order?  Yep.  A Big Mac value meal.  If I'm going to do it, I'm going all out.  I'm not getting a salad at McDonald's.

You know what?  It was pretty good.  I didn't die.  I didn't feel great, but it was pretty tasty, I'll admit that.  :)  

My sister and I had slightly different ideas about the execution of this idea.  I thought these tacos would be great in crunchy taco shells.  She thought I should use a rolling pin on a hamburger bun and flatten it out, then use that as the shell.  Hmm.  I could see that being disastrous.  I did think about flattening a hamburger bun, using the taco shaper, and deep frying it, but . . . I really thought they would be better in a taco shell.

I texted Steve to see what he thought.  When I mentioned the hamburger-bun-in-the-taco-shaper idea, he just texted back, "No!"  With the exclamation point.  Ha ha.

I basically followed the recipe from the old commercial.  You know - two all-beef patties, special sauce . . . etc.  I made a sauce from scratch, because I just can't help it.  Well, it wasn't really from scratch.  It used pretty much every condiment in our refrigerator.  You'll see.  And I used colby jack cheese.  Not American.  I just couldn't do it.  :)

These were fun!  Here's the recipe:

Big Mac Tacos

Serves 3-4 (about 12 tacos)

Ingredients:

For the special sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 tsp. sweet pickle relish
1 heaping tbsp. finely minced white onion
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. ketchup
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. chile powder of your choice
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

For the ground beef mixture :

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. ground beef

3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

12 high-quality crunchy taco shells

6 slices colby-jack cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped white onion, rinsed and drained

Shredded iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup chopped dill pickles (I diced up these sandwich slices from Trader Joe's.)

Sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions:

1.  Make the special sauce:  Place all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well-combined.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Cover and set aside.

2.  Make the ground beef mixture:  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the beef, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper and cook, breaking the pieces apart with a spatula, until done, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Set aside and keep warm.

3.  Heat the shells:  Cut the cheese slices in half and place half a slice into each shell.

Toast briefly (a couple of minutes) in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the shells are hot and fragrant.  Watch them - they can go from toasty to burned pretty quickly!

4.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a taco shell on a plate.  Fill with some of the beef.  Top with a small amount of the chopped onion.  Add some lettuce and some of the chopped pickles.  Spoon on some of the special sauce.  Finish the presentation with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.  Enjoy!

As I said before, these were fun.  They were also quite delicious.  I will definitely be keeping the special sauce recipe.  It would be great on a salad or Rueben sandwich!  Steve actually said that the sauce "didn't work" for a taco.  He said it tasted like "a really great thousand-island dressing".  The rest of the conversation was kind of like this:

"So it tasted like Big Mac sauce?"

"Yes."

"They're Big Mac Tacos."

"Yeah, but . . . it didn't taste like taco sauce."

Ha ha.

He added some Cholula to his and seemed to enjoy them more.  If you like Cholula, you could give that a try!

I tried to keep the seasoning on the meat very simple, the way a hamburger would be.  I think it worked out well.  I added a little more salt than I usually do.  I think it needed it.  If you're conservative about salt, you could start with 1/2 tsp. and see how you like it.  :)

As you can see, I used my trusty taco holders, which are very similar to the ones featured below.  With these crunchy taco shells, it does help to have something to make them stand up!



It definitely helps make the pictures turn out better!  :)

I really enjoyed these.  If you have a fast food craving, this will fix you up!  I know the bun is missing, but . . . just use your imagination.  The taco shell is the bun, OK?

Thanks for the recipe idea, Jennifer!  :)

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try them?  What did you think?

Thanks for reading!

69. Potato Chip Crusted Tilapia Tacos with Tomato Relish and Tangy Green Onion Sour Cream

Today was another one of those days where I was racking my brain to come up with some kind of taco that was new and different, but not too weird!  Come to think of it, I've had a lot of those days lately!  The higher the number on the recipe, the bigger the challenge becomes!  What have I done?  Ha ha.

When I'm having trouble coming up with an idea, I often ask my husband what he thinks I should make.  This can backfire.  For example, there's a good chance he'll say, "Fish tacos!"  He likes the ones I've always made (in my pre-Taco Project days) - a version of the fish tacos served at Rubio's that I found in a 2000 issue of Gourmet magazine.  They are delicious, but I've explained to him that they don't really qualify as part of my project.  I'm trying to come up with new things!

After he suggested the fish tacos yet again, he mentioned buffalo chicken tacos.  I said, "Well, I've already made buffalo turkey tacos (#64).  You just missed them because you were at that art thing.  They were really good!"  He answered, "Well, if they were good, make them again!"  I replied, "I can't - I need a new recipe or it won't count towards my one hundred!"

You see how these conversations can sometimes go.  O.O

Then, he suggested making some kind of tilapia taco.  Hmmm . . . there's an idea.  I've made a few fish taco variations so far, but I haven't tried tilapia.  I decided to go for it!

I was thinking of doing some kind of cornmeal crust - maybe with some Parmesan mixed in?  It was sounding good, but I wasn't totally convinced.  I did an internet search for fish recipes to get some inspiration and that's where I found the answer!  Potato chips!  A potato chip crust was just what I needed to give this recipe some pizazz!

I decided to go with the whole potato chip theme and add a creamy layer of green onions and sour cream.  A sprinkle of cabbage was a no-brainer.  I'm not sure why, but I was also compelled to create a flavorful tomato relish to give the whole thing a little extra kick.  After I tasted the final product, the tomato element made sense.  Hang in there with me.  I'll explain it at the end!  :)

Here's the recipe:

Potato Chip Crusted Tilapia Tacos with Tomato Relish and Tangy Green Onion Sour Cream

Serves 4-5 (about 8-10 tacos)

Ingredients:

For the tomato relish:

Two medium Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/3 cup julienne sliced sun-dried tomatoes (Mine were not packed in oil.)
1 small clove garlic, peeled and trimmed
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the tangy green onion sour cream:

3/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup sliced scallions

1 and 1/2 tbsp. malt vinegar

1/2 tsp. garlic salt, plus more if desired

For the potato chip crusted catfish:

1 cup crushed potato chips (I used most of a 5 oz. bag)

1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 lb. tilapia fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 eggs

Canola oil for frying

A few cups of coleslaw mix or thinly sliced green cabbage

8-20 corn tortillas, depending on whether you plan to double them up

Additional malt vinegar for garnish, if desired

Instructions:

1.  Make the tomato relish:  Place the Roma tomatoes into a high-powered blender or food processor.  Pulse until they have broken down and released their juices.  Add the remaining ingredients and blend/process until fairly smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Cover and set aside.

2.  Make the sour cream topping:  Place all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Cover and set aside.  (You may want to store it in the refrigerator until serving time.)

3.  Prepare the potato chip crust:  Place the crushed chips, flour, garlic salt, and paprika in a shallow dish and stir to combine.  

4.  Cut the fish into strips.  I ended up with about 25 pieces.  The size is really up to you, as long they get fully cooked!  :)

Break the eggs into a medium bowl and beat with a whisk.  Add the fish and toss.  

5.  Add a few tablespoons of canola oil to a medium skillet until a depth of about 1/4 inch or so is reached.  Heat the oil to about 360 degrees.  When the oil is ready, take a few strips of the tilapia and allow the excess egg to drip off.  Roll the strips in the potato chip mixture and add to the skillet.  Fry until golden brown (turning halfway through), about 2 minutes on each side.  

Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.  Do this in batches.  It took me about five batches to cook mine, but it went pretty quickly!  Keep the fish warm in a 250 degree oven.  Repeat the process with the rest of the fish.

6.  After the fish is fried, prepare the tortillas to your liking.  When I am making tacos with soft corn tortillas, I heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  I place a large sheet of aluminum foil near the pan.  I heat each tortilla in the skillet for about a minute or so on each side, or until it softens and begins to brown.

After each one is done, I place it on the foil and immediately start the next one.  I stack them on top of one another as I work.  When I'm done with the whole batch, I wrap them completely in the foil and place them in a 250 degree oven (along with the fish, in this case) until I'm ready to assemble the tacos.  They always stay hot and soft!  If there are leftovers, I heat fresh tortillas for the next meal.  

7.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a tortilla on a plate.  If you have thin corn tortillas, like I did, you can double them up!  Place a few pieces of fish down the center of each tortilla.  Spoon on some of the tomato relish.  Top with some of the cabbage.  Add a small dollop or two of the sour cream green onion topping.  Finish with a splash of two of malt vinegar, if you wish.  Enjoy!

So, we had some mixed (and funny) reactions to these!  Overall, I think the recipe worked out very well.  We both agreed that the sour cream topping and tomato relish were delicious, and we also liked the potato chip crust on the fish.

Unfortunately, the fish itself was not our favorite.  We don't eat a lot of tilapia.  I had forgotten how different it is from some other types of fish.  To me, it has a softer, less flaky texture and a distinctive flavor.  I think these tacos would have KILLED if I had made them with cod.  That could be just our personal taste, though.  Tilapia is very popular right now, so a lot of people must like it!  Don't get me wrong - we ate them and enjoyed them well enough, but we saw missed potential!

The fish looked and smelled just fine as I was preparing it, so I know it wasn't spoiled.  Maybe it wasn't great quality tilapia - I just don't cook it enough to know!

Steve actually said that the tilapia reminded him of the fish that gets ground up to make fish sticks for elementary school kids.

O.O

I had a good laugh about that as I had some bad flashbacks of fish Fridays from my childhood.  Ugh.  Personally, I think he was exaggerating just a bit, but it was funny!  

It might sound like I'm not recommending these.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  If you like tilapia, go for it!  If tilapia's not your favorite, substitute cod and you'll be happy!

There were a couple of things about this recipe that came from my subconscious (I think) and only made sense at the end.  I felt very strongly that the sour cream topping needed a little bit of malt vinegar to brighten it up.  That makes sense, right?  Fried fish?  Fried potatoes?  It's basically fish and chips, and I always put malt vinegar on that!

The tomato relish was still confusing me.  Why had I added that?  Well, once I tasted all of the recipe elements together in the finished product, I realized what the tomato relish tasted like - ketchup!  Now, before you turn away in disgust, let me clarify - it tasted like a refined, flavorful, fancy ketchup.

I thought up a perfect way to describe these tacos:

If you were well on your way to being blackout drunk at a fake British pub (like in some random non-very-cool small town) and someone brought you a plate of fried fish, fried potatoes and creamy coleslaw which you then promptly doused with malt vinegar and ketchup and subsequently devoured, THESE TACOS would represent your vague memory of that meal, all wrapped up in a neat little package!

And it would be a GOOD memory.  :)

I ran this description by Steve and he laughed and agreed.  I also ran it by one of my sisters.  She just said, "Ummm . . . you're not really selling those very well.  Ha ha."

I guess it just depends on your perspective.  Ha ha.  I'd recommend them.  With cod instead of tilapia.  And a black and tan on the side.  (Just not ten black and tans.  You'll want to remember these the next day!)

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try them?  What did you think?  Am I wrong about tilapia or do you agree?

Thanks for reading!

68. Pineapple Tacos with Coconut-Ricotta Pancake Shells, Mango-Kiwi Salsa, and Whipped Cream

Now that school's out and I have a bit more time on my hands, I figured another brunch taco was in order.

I love brunch!  It always makes me feel like I've gotten away with something.  There's not much that seems more decadent than sitting around on a Sunday morning (or afternoon) eating a plate of something that involves bacon on the side and holding a mug of coffee in one hand and a breakfast beer (or mimosa) in the other.  :)

Brunch tacos can go sweet or savory.  I left it up to Steve.  He was rather indecisive, saying, "I don't know . . . sweet?"  That was enough for me.

I decided to go with a tropical theme.  I've already made Irish-y Apple Tacos, rich Banana-Nutella Tacos, and flaky Nectarine Rolled Tacos.  I wanted to do something different.

I've discovered that pancake shells work pretty well, though they do blur the line between tacos and . . . just pancakes.  Ha ha.  To give the shells a coconut kick, I added some cream of coconut and a splash of coconut rum.  It's pretty hard for me to make a brunch recipe without adding a splash of something boozy, apparently!

These tacos have everything you need - a tasty filling, a fresh and flavorful salsa, and a creamy topping!  Here's the recipe:

Pineapple Tacos with Coconut-Ricotta Pancake Shells, Mango-Kiwi Salsa, and Whipped Cream

Makes 12 tacos, serving about 4 to 6

Ingredients:

For the mango-kiwi salsa:

One large mango, peeled and finely chopped

2 firm but ripe kiwi, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
Juice of half a lime
1/4 tsp. grated lime zest

For the coconut-ricotta pancake shells:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup cream of coconut (such as Coco Real)

1/4 cup Captain Morgan's Parrot Bay rum

1 egg

1 tbsp. canola oil

Non-stick cooking spray

For the pineapple filling:

4 tbsp. butter

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into slices

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp. Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay rum

1 half-pint container of heavy whipping cream
A few large pinches of sugar

1/2 cup toasted coconut (sweetened or not, your choice) for garnish

Instructions:

1.  Make the mango-kiwi salsa:   Place all of the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.  Cover and set aside.

2.  Make the pancake shell batter:  Stir together the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.  In a separate small bowl, beat together the remaining ingredients.  Transfer the wet ingredients to the medium bowl and stir until just combined.

3. Cook the pancake shells:  Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat.  Cook the pancakes, 3 at a time, using about 1/4 cup of the batter for each one.  They should spread out to about the size of a street-taco tortilla, though they won't be quite as thin.  When the tops are bubbly and almost set, flip them and cook until done.  As you finish them, stack them on a sheet of foil and place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.  Repeat this process until all of the shells are cooked.  (I got 12, or four batches.)

4.  Make the pineapple filling:  Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the pineapple, sugar, and rum and cook and stir for about 8 to 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced.  Set aside and keep warm.

5.  Place the cream in a medium bowl and add sugar to taste.  Whip with a whisk until soft peaks form.  You can also use a hand mixer.  Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve the tacos.

6.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a pancake shell on a plate.  Top with a few of the pineapple slices.  Spoon on some of the salsa.  Top with a dollop of the whipped cream and garnish with a sprinkle of the toasted coconut.  Enjoy!

These shells turned out a bit more pancake-like than those of some of my other brunch tacos.  I think the baking soda and baking powder were possibly NOT helpful in this situation.  They were slightly puffy.  Did we still pick them up and eat them?  Yes!  Are you kidding?  According to my project description, they still qualify as tacos.  After all of this work . . . yeah.  I stand behind my creation.  Ha ha!

All kidding aside - they were a bit messy.  I might tinker with the shell a bit.  Steve suggested making the pancakes and then deep frying them to make them crispy.  Umm . . . that's a lot of work for these little shells.  I don't know.  Maybe they would be the best thing ever!

As I have said before, after I finish my taco project, I want to write a cookbook featuring all of the ideas that were sparked by making all of these tacos!  :)

You could make the shells, throw all of the other stuff on top, call them "tropical pancakes", eat them with a fork, and probably be perfectly content!  Ha ha.  I won't tell anyone.  And I would still include the bacon on the side.  Just because you can.

Well, what do you think?  Please feel free to comment below!  Thanks for reading!