Whether or not I actually will light this dessert on fire remains to be seen. I am somewhat hesitant, but with a little tequila, I'm betting something will go up in flames! We are having Brad and Karen over, and possibly Lori and the big man Phil. They will make a game-time decision tomorrow based on how some other plans go. Recipes below.
Beer Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup dark Mexican beer*
Cream Sauce:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup Mexican crema** or sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fish Tacos:
Oil, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
2 pounds skinned halibut cut into 5 by 1/2-inch strips
Freshly ground black pepper
Corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups tomatillo salsa (store-bought or homemade) for garnish, optional
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish, optional
Directions
For the Beer Batter:
Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add in the beer while whisking. Set aside and let the batter rest for 15 minutes before using.
For Cream Sauce:
Add the mayonnaise and crema to a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (can be made 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated).
For the Fish:
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when inserted into the oil.
On a large plate, combine the flour and salt. Season the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Working in batches, dip the fillets in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Make tacos with the tortillas and fish and top each with cream, shredded cabbage, tomatillo salsa and pickled jalapenos, if desired.
*Cook's Note: Crack open a cold Mexican cerveza like a Negra Modelo or a 2 Equis (XX) Amber to make this tasty beer batter, which will change the way you think about fried fish! You can use it for vegetables, too.
**Cook's Note: Mexican Crema is Mexico's version of creme fraiche and is found at many supermarkets and can easily be substituted with sour cream
Black Beans:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
3 (12-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Sherry vinegar, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salsa:
1/2 pineapple, cored, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rings
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno, or to taste, chopped
1 to 2 limes, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Green Rice:
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups long-grain rice
Kosher salt
2 cups Chimichurri, recipe follows
Chimichurri:
1 Spanish onion
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves picked
2 large cloves garlic
1 jalapeno, stemmed and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a food processor, pulse the onion until finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer the onion to a bowl. Add the olive oil, parsley, cilantro, oregano leaves, garlic, and lime juice and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the herb mixture to the bowl of onion and stir to combine. Season the chimichurri with salt and pepper.
For the Guacamole:
3 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly minced cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Lemon Sorbet over Pound Cake with Tequila Flambeed Berries
2 small containers Lemon or Lime Sorbet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
1 cup fresh blackberries, washed and halved
4 (1/2-inch) slices pound cake
1/3 cup tequila, plus more if desired
Place a 10-inch saute pan over high heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, adds the strawberries, blackberries and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Saute until the berries are soft and the sugar has melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut each piece of pound cake in half diagonally and place each slice of pound cake in a chilled bowl with the tips pointed out towards the rim of the bowls. Place 2 scoops of sorbet in the center of each of the chilled bowls on top of the pound cake.
Remove the pan with the berries from the heat and add the tequila. Return the pan to the heat immediately, and tilt the edge of the pan towards the fire to ignite the tequila. Pour the berries over the sorbet while they are still flaming. Drizzle extra tequila over the sorbet if desired. Serve immediately.
