Salmon Tacos

Source: Sunset Mag, March 2003

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs. Salmon Fillet, Boned, Skinned
• 1 cup Flour
• ¾ cups Beer
• 1 large Egg
• 1 Dijon Mustard
• Vegetable Oil
• Salt
• 8 Flour Tortillas
• 2 cups Green Cabbage, Finely Shredded
• Chiptle Mayo
• Tomatillo Salsa
• Lime Wedges

Method

1. Rinse salmon and pat dry; cut the fillet crosswise into ½ inch wide strips (cut any longer than 6 in. in half). In a bowl, whisk flour, beer, egg, and mustard until well blended.

2. Pour ½ inch frying pan over high heat. When surface is rippling, one at a time, dip salmon strips in beer batter, turn to coat all sides (or spoon batter over fish), and lay slightly apart in a single layer in hot oil. Cook, turning pieces once with a wide spatula, until batter is golden brown on all sides and salmon is just opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), about 3 minutes total. As cooked, transfer to a paper towel-lined 12x17 inch baking pan and keep warm in a 200°F oven. As there’s room in frying pan, coat and cook remaining salmon strips. Add to fish in baking pan and sprinkle all with salt. Discard remaining batter and oil in pan; wipe pan clean with paper towels.

3. Set frying pan over medium-high heat. One at a time, lay tortillas in pan and heat, turning once, just until warm, about 30 seconds total for each tortilla. As heated, transfer to a platter or plates and fill each with an eighth of the salmon and ¼ cup shredded cabbage. Add chipotle mayonnaise and tomatillo salsa as desired.

4. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over tacos and remaining mayonnaise and salsa to add to taste.

Chipotle Mayo

1 c mayo, 1-2 canned chipotle chilies (to taste), 3 tbsp water

Whirl mayo, chilies and water until well blended and smooth.

Makes about 1¼ cups.

Tomatillo Salsa

8 oz fresh tomatillos, 6 oz fresh California or New Mexico chilies, 2 fresh jalapeno chilies, ½ c coarsely chopped onion, ½ c coarsely chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp lime juice, salt

Peel, rinse, and quarter 8 oz fresh tomatillos. Rinse, stem, seed, and coarsely chop 6 oz fresh California or New Mexico chilies and 2 fresh jalapeno chilies (2 oz total).

In a food processor, whirl tomatillos, California chilies, jalapenos, ½ cup coarsely chopped onion, and ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro until finely ground.

Scrape into a 2½ to 3 qt. pan. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture releases some juice and is boiling, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then stir in 2 tbsp lime juice and salt to taste.

Makes about 1¾ cups.