Whitefish Tacos with Pickled Red Onions, Red-Hot Aioli, and Guacamole
Excerpted from The Lake Michigan Cottage Cookbook © by Amelia Levin. Used with permission from Storey Publishing.
Most Midwesterners are used to eating flaky whitefish served simply with boiled potatoes, incorporated into chowders, or fried up with tartar sauce. But in taco form (akin to the beachside delicacy from Baja), we’re reminded of its freshness and mild, clean flavor, amped up here by some spicy aioli and tangy onions.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Standing time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Serves 4
For the pickled red onions
1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
For the red-hot aioli
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1–1½ tablespoons sriracha sauce, as desired
For the guacamole
2 Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove or roasted garlic clove, minced (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
For the fish tacos
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless whitefish fillets, cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup panko
8 corn or small flour tortillas, warmed
Chopped fresh cilantro, for sprinkling
Lime wedges, for serving
1. For the pickled onions, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Separate the onion slices into rings and place in a colander in the sink. Slowly pour the boiling water over the onions and allow to drain. Whisk together the vinegar, honey, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the drained onions and mix well. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Mix well and place in a glass jar or container. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
2. For the red-hot aioli, combine the mayonnaise and sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
3. For the guacamole, mash together the avocados, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and salt to the desired consistency. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Chill for 15 minutes to blend the flavors. The guacamole may be prepared up to 2 hours before serving, but if waiting longer than 15 minutes to serve, drizzle the lime juice over the guacamole at the end and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent browning. Stir well before serving.
4. For the fish, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toss the fish pieces with the beaten egg to coat well. Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and add the fish, stirring to coat. Add the fish to the hot oil in one layer and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the fish over and continue cooking until the fish is opaque, about 3 minutes.
5. Spoon the fish into the warmed tortillas and spoon the aioli over the fish. Place some pickled red onions and cilantro in the tacos and serve immediately with the lime wedges and guacamole.
