jalapeño jelly

I don’t know why, but I can’t get enough fish lately. Just the other day in a post, I said I was not into frying fish … two days later – here I am doing just that, go figure! I dedicate this recipe to Tram Mai, the host of Valley Dish (weekdays at 4:30 on Channel 12). When I was on earlier in the month making sweet jalapeño mini corn muffins, Tram asked what could be done with the rest of the jalapeño jelly in the jar.  I stammered and said something stupid about putting it on cream cheese and serving it with chips – hey that’s good stuff, but it was a totally lame answer!  Since then, another guest has used jalapeño jelly on the show. So, Tram here’s another one, especially for you…

The recipe calls for self-rising flour. If you don’t have any handy and don’t feel the need to purchase a one-pound bag and then only use the one cup needed here, you can make your own. I’m not sure if you know just how much valuable information is on this blog. Let me tell you, a lot! If you look over to the left, you’ll see a “Tip Index” and that puppy is loaded with good stuff…. including the very useful “conversion and equivalent charts”  Check it out sometime, and if you want to make that self-rising flour now, CLICK THIS LINK and it will take you to the conversion chart… scroll down until you see “Flour” and there it is, easy as pie!

Arizona Fish Tacos

Pickled red onion
1/2 small red onion, peeled, halved through the root, and cut as thinly as possible crosswise
Juice of 2 limes
Seasoned rice vinegar (1 to 2 cups)
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Sonoran cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
Zest of 1 lime
Juice from half of the same lime (reserve other half for fish marinade)
2 tablespoons jalapeño jelly
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of salt

Slaw
2 cups fine-shredded cabbage slaw mix
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
2 tablespoons Sonoran cream (from above)
1 tablespoon jalapeño jelly
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fish marinade
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons jalapeño jelly
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 pounds skinless halibut, sea bass, or mahi-mahi fillets, cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Canola or vegetable oil (for frying)
16 corn tortillas

Pickled red onions: Place onion in a strainer and run very hot tab water over for about 10 seconds, drain and place in a bowl. Add lime juice and enough seasoned rice vinegar to just cover the onions. Stir in salt until dissolved. Let stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.

Sonoran cream: Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Slaw: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Allow the mixture to marinate for 1 hour. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Fish marinade: Mix all ingredients (buttermilk through cumin) in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt and add fish; toss gently to coat. Cover; marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Whisk flour, panko, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt in a shallow bowl or pie plate.

Add enough oil to a large skillet to reach a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil until the thermometer registers 350 degrees.

While oil heats, preheat oven to 300 degrees and wrap tortillas in foil, place in oven to soften and warm through.

Working in batches, remove fish from the marinade and dredge in the flour-panko mixture. Carefully add fish to skillet and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 3 or 4 minutes. Transfer to brown paper sacks or paper towels to drain. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm while frying the remaining fish.

Assemble: Stack together two of the warm corn tortillas; spread with Sonoran cream, place 2 or 3 strips of fish atop cream, and top with slaw and pickled onions.  Serve immediately.

Serves 8