March 26, 2015Katy’s friend Haley’s dad, Ad Hudler is a phenomenal cook and very cool guy. I had the pleasure of spending a few days in their home several years ago and was treated to many of his specialties. One of those specialties was Fish Tacos with ‘Crack Sauce’. The tacos had fresh, healthy ingredients filled with great flavor. It didn’t hurt that the dinner guests were delightful and the view from their backyard was spectacular! I continue to try to duplicate Ad’s recipe and realize that I make it a little different each time – but we always enjoy it.
one taco ready to be folded and eaten!
The creamy sauce is a combination of buttermilk and sour cream flavored with garlic, lime and cumin. It is delectable! He called the sauce liquid crack because it is quite addicting. I can never throw any leftover sauce away either – I end up adding it to sandwiches – or salad dressings so as not to waste any! I often substitute some plain yogurt for some of the sour cream to lighten it up a bit more.
preparing the sauce ingredients
creamy goodness!
Ad delicately battered the fish and fried it for the tacos. I am not as adventurous or patient – so we normally grill fish when we make fish tacos. The fish is not as crispy on the outside but the flavor is almost as good. I use cod or other whitefish that holds up to grilling. It is firm enough but still flakes well into the tacos.
fish before grilling with seasoning, oil and lemon
I simply marinate the fish with a splash of olive oil and lemon or lime – then add salt, pepper and cumin. There is really no need to measure but I will give close estimates on how to lightly coat the fish before grilling.
grilled cod ready to be flaked and served
For garnish, I like to use shredded cabbage, red peppers or thinly sliced radishes. On sunday I used thinly sliced red and jalapeño peppers, green onions, and a few tomatoes. I believe a variety of color in the fresh vegetable garnish not only makes the dish look beautiful but ads flavor too. I always use chopped avocado/guacamole and cilantro as garnish. Ad gave me the idea to use feta cheese crumbled on top instead of the traditional mexican cheeses. I love it with feta – but realized too late on sunday that we did not have any – so I crumbled a small amount of goat cheese that gave a similar tart flavor. A little bit goes a long way.
cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro avocado, jalapeno, green onion and red pepper – with lime wedges too
The longest preparation is in finely chopping or slicing the vegetable garnishes. I think it looks nice on a big platter or plate. Lime or lemon wedges add a really nice splash on top of each taco too.
variety of tortillas packaged
unwrapped tortillas
My personal favorite taco shells are soft blended corn and whole wheat flour tortillas. They hold up a little better than regular corn tortillas and don’t tend to crack as much. The corn is a little course and adds a nice nutty flavor. Regular soft corn tortillas would be traditional – but others in our household prefer flour tortillas. Subsequently, we offer a variety of them each time we make fish tacos.
Fish Tacos with Crack Sauce
Preparation about 30 minutes.
Serves 4-6 people (2-3 tacos each)
Ingredients
sauce:
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 TBS sour cream
2 TBS plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp cumin
1/2 lime
fish:
12-16 oz firm white fish fillets (I use cod most of the time)
2-3 TBS olive oil
1-2 TBS lemon or lime juice
1/2 – 1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
garnishes:
1 or 2 avocados, cut into small chunks
1 garlic clove
1/2 lime
salt and pepper
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup cilantro, cleaned and stemmed
1 lime cut into wedges for serving
4-5 small tomatoes or radishes, thinly sliced.
tacos:
variety of corn, flour and corn/flour blended tortilla shells. I like the 8″ size best. 10-12 total
2-4 oz crumbled feta cheese – or goat cheese
Instructions
Blend sauce ingredients in small container and refrigerate until ready to serve. This can be made several hours or a day ahead of time. The flavor improves as the spices blend into the liquid.
Place fish in a nonreactive dish and marinate with olive oil, lemon or lime juice, and spices. This can be done up to 3 hours ahead of time. If you refrigerate the fish, remove it at least 30 minutes before serving so it is not cold when grilled.
Clean and cut the avocados and add garlic, lime, salt and pepper. The lime will keep it from browning as it sits. Place in serving bowl or platter. Chop and slice the remaining garnish ingredients and add them to the serving platter.
Heat Grill to high or medium high. Grill fish for 3-5 minutes per side depending upon how thick the fillets are. Remove when done and cover with foil to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Flake the fish into smaller pieces that will fit into the tacos.
Serve tortillas topped with fish, sauce, garnishes and cheese.
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