Hot sauce and corn meal-crusted halibut is a Nic Mink staple. When we're grateful for spring in the Midwest, we celebrate spring onions and grilling with a simple, yet amazing crema. Quick "pickled" radishes add the perfect raw crunch and acidity to this dish or a little snack while you're still cooking. Packed full of flavor and texture, these tacos are sure to impress.
Ingredients
“Pickled” Onions and Radishes:
5 small radishes
2-3 spring onions, white parts only (if spring onions are unavailable, use scallions or half of a small red onion)
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Scallion Crema:
1 cup sour cream (full-fat, low-fat, or even Greek yogurt)
¼ cup mayonnaise
12 scallions or 8 spring onions if they’re available
Salt and pepper, to taste
Crusted Halibut:
1 pound halibut, cut into approximately 1 by 2 inch pieces Available in Our Premium Seafood Subscription Box
½ cup Mexican hot sauce (Valentina and Cholula are our favorites)
1 cup corn meal
¼ cup canola oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving:
½ head of leaf lettuce, shredded
8-12 small corn tortillas
Directions
“PICKLED” ONIONS AND RADISHES
Thinly slice radishes and the bulbs of spring onions. In a bowl, toss with vinegar, sugar, and salt. Set aside for at least an hour.
SCALLION CREMA
Combine mayo and sour cream. Heat a grill pan, gas grill, or charcoal grill to high heat. Trim scallion ends and place on the grill, approximately 5 minutes a side, until they are nicely charred. Set onions aside until cool enough to handle. Thinly slice and stir into the cream mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
CRUSTED HALIBUT
Pour hot sauce and corn meal into separate shallow bowls or plates. Thoroughly coat the halibut with hot sauce and then crust with corn meal. Set fish aside and heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Using just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, shallow fry the fish in batches, 2-3 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed. Fish should be golden brown on all sides. Season with salt while warm. If you’re into a more intense kick, you can do a second dip in hot sauce after the fish is fried.
TACO ASSEMBLY
Spread the scallion crema across the bottom of a corn tortilla. Top with halibut, lettuce and “pickled” onions and radishes. We like to do a second round of hot sauce over top.
