Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy Dutch oven or deep pot (at least 5-quart capacity)
• •Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
• •Wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan
• •Spider skimmer or slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the lime crema

   Whisk together the crema, lime juice, lime zest, grated garlic, and salt in a small bowl until completely smooth. The mixture should be pourable but not thin. Taste it. The lime should be bright and forward, the garlic barely there. Refrigerate while you prepare everything else. The flavors will marry as it sits.

   If using sour cream instead of Mexican crema, thin it with a tablespoon of milk to achieve the right drizzling consistency.
2. 2

   Prepare the cabbage slaw

   Toss both cabbages with the chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a large bowl. Work the mixture with your hands, squeezing gently to help the cabbage soften slightly and absorb the lime. It should taste bright and clean with just enough salt to wake everything up. Set aside at room temperature. The slaw improves as it sits but should retain its crunch.

3. 3

   Cut and dry the fish

   Slice the rockfish fillets into strips about one inch wide and three inches long. These are generous pieces that will hang over the edges of your tortillas, which is exactly what you want. Pat each piece aggressively dry with paper towels. Any moisture on the fish will cause your batter to slide off and your oil to spatter. Dry fish, crispy results.

   If your fillets have any pin bones remaining, run your fingers along the flesh and pull them out with tweezers or needle-nose pliers.
4. 4

   Mix the batter

   Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Pour in the cold beer and whisk just until combined. Some lumps are fine. The batter should coat a spoon thickly but drip off in a steady stream. If too thick, add another splash of beer. Keep this batter cold. Set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice if your kitchen runs warm.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour three inches of oil into a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Clip on your thermometer and heat over medium-high until it reaches 375°F. This takes longer than most people expect, usually eight to ten minutes. Patience here prevents greasy fish. While the oil heats, set up your dredging station: a shallow dish of flour next to the batter bowl, with a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby for draining.

   Peanut oil gives the cleanest flavor and handles high heat beautifully. Vegetable oil works fine if that's what you have.
6. 6

   Dredge and batter the fish

   Working with one piece at a time, dredge the fish in flour, shaking off any excess. The flour creates a dry surface for the batter to grip. Dip immediately into the cold batter, letting excess drip off for a few seconds. The coating should be even and not too thick.

7. 7

   Fry until golden

   Carefully lower three or four pieces of battered fish into the hot oil. Don't crowd the pot. The temperature will drop when the fish goes in. Adjust your heat to maintain 350-365°F. Fry for three to four minutes, turning once halfway through, until the crust is deeply golden and the fish is cooked through. The sound tells you everything: aggressive bubbling at first, then a quieter, steadier sizzle as moisture escapes and the crust sets. Transfer to the wire rack. Season immediately with a pinch of salt while still glistening.

8. 8

   Warm the tortillas

   While frying in batches, warm your tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet until pliable and lightly charred in spots, about thirty seconds per side. Stack them in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Cold tortillas crack when you fold them. Warm tortillas embrace their filling.

9. 9

   Assemble the tacos

   Lay a warm tortilla flat. Add a generous handful of cabbage slaw down the center, then top with a piece of fried rockfish. Drizzle liberally with lime crema. Add a slice or two of avocado if using, a few pickled onions, and a sprig of fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. These tacos don't wait. Eat them while the fish is still crackling.

Chef Tips

• •Ask your fishmonger for Pacific rockfish, black cod, or lingcod. All are excellent choices with sustainable populations when properly managed. Avoid any fish that seems soft or smells of anything other than clean ocean.
• •The beer must be cold. Warm beer creates a heavy, greasy coating. I keep a can in the freezer for fifteen minutes before mixing the batter.
• •Fry in batches small enough that your oil temperature never drops below 350°F. Crowding the pot is the fastest path to soggy fish.
• •Leftover crema keeps refrigerated for a week and improves almost anything: drizzle it over grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, or scrambled eggs.
• •For a lighter version, the fish can be grilled or pan-seared instead of fried. Season the fillets with the same spices used in the batter and cook over high heat until just opaque.

Advance Preparation

• •Lime crema can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. The flavor improves overnight.
• •Cabbage slaw can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated and toss again before serving.
• •Fish can be cut and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead. Pat completely dry before dredging.
• •Pickled red onions keep for 2 weeks refrigerated and improve most Mexican-inspired dishes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 575g)