Delicious UK - (01)January 2020

WhenKarlaZazuetamovedtoLondonfromthePacificcoastofBajaCaliforniainMexico,

she brought with her a zinger of a family recipe that’s emblematic of her father’s affection

“Making these tacos always

puts a smile on my face”

TASTESLIKE HOME

Ina typical
Mexicanhome,life
revolvesaroundfood.
Formyfamily,food
issynonymouswith
love.Everyonewas
a goodcookbutitwas
mydad,Martin,who
plantedtheseedofmyloveofcooking.
HewasalwaysinthekitchenandI have
fondmemoriesofhimaskingmetohelp
himchopvegetablesorfrysomething.
Ensenadafishtacosarenamedafter
theportcitywhereI grewupandwere
createdbya tacosellerthere.Inthecity,
everyfamilyhasitsownvariation.My
family’sversionhasbeenwithusfor
a longtimeandit’sspecialtome,asmy
fatherwrotetherecipeinmydiary
beforeI cametoLondon 17 yearsago.
Hesaid:‘Nowyoucancookproper
EnsenadafishtacosforEnglishpeople.’
I neverimaginedmydadwouldbe
gonewithina fewyearsofgivingmethe
recipe,soI keepitsafeassomething
precious.EverytimeI makethesetacos
theyputa smileonmyface,andmy
childrenlovethestoriesI tellaboutmy
dadcookingthiswonderfuldish.

• Karla blogs at mexicanfoodmemories.co.uk

RECIPE: KARLA

ZAZUETA. FOOD PHOTOGRAPH:

GARETH

MORGANS. FOOD

STYLING:

OLIVIA SPURRELL.

STYLING:

MORAG

FARQUHAR

Ensenadafishtacos

SERVES4-5(MAKES 15 TACOS). HANDS-ON TIME

1 HOUR, PLUS PICKLING

MAKE

AHEAD

Makethepickledonion,picode

galloandmayosauceupto

6 hoursahead,coverandchill.

FOOD

TEAM’S

TIP

Buyauthentic,small100%corn

tortillasatmexgrocer.co.uk.You

canalsobuyminitortillasin

supermarkets– they’redescribedas‘corn’

but they mainly contain wheat flour.

• 140gplainflour,plusextra for dusting


• 1½tspbakingpowder


• 1 largefree-rangeegg


• 1 tspfinegarlicsalt


• Pinchdriedoregano


• 1 tspamericanordijonmustard


• 300gsustainable cod fillet, cut into
  2cmstrips


• 1 litrevegetableoilfordeepfrying


• 15 smallcorntortillastoserve(seetip)


• Iceberglettuce,finelyshredded, to serve


• Lime wedges for squeezing

FORTHEPICKLEDREDONION

• 1 tbspfineseasalt


• 1 mediumredonion, cut into thin strips


• Juice1 lime


• Pinchofdriedoregano


• 1 scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped

FORTHEPICODEGALLOSALSA

• 3 mediumripetomatoes,finelychopped


• 1 smallonion,finelychopped


• 3 tbspchoppedfresh coriander


• Juice 1 lime

FORTHEMAYONNAISESAUCE

• 3 tbspsouredcream


• 3 tbsp good quality mayonnaise

USEFULTOHAVE...

• Digitalprobethermometer;2 baking
  trays lined with kitchen paper

1 Forthepickledonion,mixthesaltwith

theonionina smallnon-metallicbowl,

thensetasidefor 10 minutes.Rinsethe

onion,drain,thentosswiththelime

juice,oregano,chillianda pinchofsalt.

2 Forthepicodegallo,mixthetomatoes,

onion,coriander,limejuiceand a pinch of

saltina non-metallicbowl.

3 Forthemayosauce,mixthesouredcream

andmayoina bowlwithsomeblackpepper.

4 Tomakethebatter,mixtheflour,baking

powder,egg,garlicsalt,oregano,mustard

anda grindingofblackpepperina large

mixingbowl.Whiskin175mlwater,little

bylittle,stoppingwhenthebatterreaches

theconsistencyofdoublecream(adda few

extrasplashesofwaterif youneedto).

5 Drythefishonkitchenpaper,thenlightly

dustwithflour(tohelpthebatterstick).

Onceallthepiecesaredusted,dropeach

oneintothebatterandcoatwell.

6 Pourtheoilintoa deepheavy-basedpan

toa depthofabout10cm,thenheatuntil

it reaches180°Cona thermometer(or

a cubeofbreadbrownsin 20 seconds).

7 Deep-frythefishinbatchesfor

3 minutesoneachsideuntilgolden

brown,thendrainonthepreparedbaking

trays.Repeatuntilallthefishisfried.

8 Warmthetortillas,spreadwiththemayo

sauce,thenadd1-2piecesoffriedfish,

lettuce,salsaandsomepickledonion.

Servewithlimewedgesandcoldbeer.

PERTACO(FOR15)230kcals,7.2gfat

(5.8gsaturated),8.5gprotein,31.8g carbs

(2.6gsugars),0.7gsalt,2gfibre

Formorewaystousescotch bonnet

chillies, see Loose Ends

Karlawith

hermum

and dad