Jose Garces’ Fish Tacos

Serves
makes 10 tacos
Time
1 day

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

Chef Jose Garces uses a batter of rice flour and vodka to produce shatteringly crisp fish bites that he then stuffs into warm tortillas and tops with cool, crunchy slaw.

Featured in: How to Batter Fish for Fish Tacos

What You Will Need

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Ingredients

2 cups apple cider vinegar
¹⁄₄ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¹⁄₂ head red cabbage, shredded
¹⁄₂ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. minced capers
2 tbsp. minced parsley
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, with sauce
1 ¹⁄₂ cups rice flour
1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. vodka
¹⁄₂ cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. agave nectar
¹⁄₄ tsp. baking soda
Canola oil, for frying
Kosher salt, to taste
8 oz. mahi mahi, cut into 10 1" x 2" pieces
10 flour tortillas or corn tortillas
1 avocado, pitted and thinly sliced

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Instructions

Step 1

Toss vinegar, sugar, salt, and cabbage in a bowl; cover and refrigerate at least 1 day.

Step 2

Combine mayonnaise, capers, parsley, lime juice, and chipotle chile in a blender and purée until smooth. Refrigerate remoulade until ready to use.

Step 3

Whisk 1 cup rice flour, the vodka, 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, agave, baking soda, salt, and 3⁄4 cup water in a large bowl until smooth; refrigerate until ready to use. Combine remaining flours and salt to taste in a separate bowl; set aside.

Step 4

Heat 2" oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Toss fish in dry batter, then wet. Working in batches, fry fish until golden and crispy, 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Serve fish on tortillas with cabbage slaw, remoulade, and avocado.