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Cornmeal-Crusted Fish Tacos with Lime Crema and Cabbage Slaw
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Rustic cornmeal-crusted fish tacos with lime crema and a zesty cabbage slaw.

Recipe Type: Dinner
Author: Brooklyn Supper
Ingredients
For the Crema
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons water , as needed
For the fish
  • 2 pounds tilapia fillets
  • 1/2 cup medium-grind cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder (use a flavorful variety)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 - 4 tablespoons heat tolerant vegetable oil , lard, or ghee for frying
For the Slaw
  • 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
  • sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño
  • 2 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 2 tablespoon minced green onion
  • ground black pepper
For the tacos
  • 8 corn tortillas , warmed or toasted over medium heat in a skillet
  • 1 avocado , sliced
  • jalapeno , sliced thin
  • green onion , minced
  • cilantro leaves , torn into small pieces
  • lime wedges
Instructions
For the Crema
  1. In a small bowl or jar, stir lime juice and sea salt into the sour cream. Add water as needed so that crema just drizzles off the tip of a spoon.

For the Fish
  1. Combine the cornmeal, chili powder, garlic powder, and sea salt on a small tray.
  2. Rinse tilapia, pat dry, and slice into 2-inch sections.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge both sides of 4 – 5 pieces tilapia in the cornmeal mixture. Add oil to skillet, and when hot and the tilapia. Cook until golden brown, 2 – 3 minutes, flip, and cook other side 2 – 3 minutes longer or until fish is cooked through. Set cooked tilapia pieces on a plate lined with a brown paper bag and scatter a pinch or two of sea salt over the fish. Working in batches cook the remaining fish in the same way. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Keep an eye on the temp, being sure to adjust temperature to avoid smoking oil.

For the Slaw
  1. Set sliced cabbage in a large bowl and toss with sea salt. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Stir in jalapeño, green onion, shallot, and several twists black pepper. Pour mixture over the cabbage, and toss.

For the Tacos
  1. Add several spoonfuls of slaw and a few avocado slices to each tortilla. Add 2 or 3 pieces of fish, drizzle on the crema, and finish with jalapeño slices, cilantro leaves, and green onions, plus a big squeeze of lime.