Basa Fish Wraps

Basa Fish Wraps - Photo by JayDi Photography

Happy Easter weekend everyone!  Growing up Catholic, we observed that Good Friday was a meat-free day and that usually meant fish for dinner.  My family has mixed feelings about fish.  While myself, and my father love anything that swims, my brother tolerates some seafood, but my sister and mother would be happy as clams (haha) without ever having to eat fish.  Luckily, Jay also loves fish and seafood so a suggestion to try something new went over well.  I read a lot of blogs and of course watch the Cooking Channel and Food Network and every one seems to rave about fish tacos. So we thought, why not try them! After both of us putting in a full shift on a holiday weekend, I didn’t really want anything heavy like a traditional fish and chip batter, but I wanted some texture in my taco.  I decided to try a simple flour & cornstarch dredge.  Cornstarch can be substituted in equal parts for flour in this preparation. Use it by itself as a gluten-free coating for meat or fish; it helps the browning process and adds flavor since any herbs or seasonings you blend with the cornstarch will stick to the meat. Simply place enough cornstarch to coat your meat in a shallow bowl or pie plate; add seasonings and turn the meat on both sides to coat. The results will be a delicate and crisp fish morsel.

Fish Tacos / Fish Wraps

Number Of Servings: 3-4

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

1 pound firm white fish, such as basa, haddock, tilapia, snapper, cod, mahi mahi, or catfish – cut into bite-sized cubes
Equal parts flour and cornstarch, in a baking dish for dredging

Seasoning spice blend (I’ve been using Emeril’s Essence for a few years now.. recipe is below)
Vegetable oil – enough for shallow frying
6 to 8 soft (6-inch) whole wheat tortillas

2 medium limes, halved
Sliced avocado, for garnish (optional)

Diced tomatoes (optional)

Chopped scallions (optional)
Guacamole, for garnish (optional)
Salsa, for garnish (optional)
Sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Hot sauce, for garnish (optional)

·         Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

·         2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

·         2 tablespoons salt

·         2 tablespoons garlic powder

·         1 tablespoon black pepper

·         1 tablespoon onion powder

·         1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

·         1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

·         1 tablespoon dried thyme

Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a high-sided frying pan – enough for shallow frying.

Place equal parts of flour and cornstarch in a baking dish and heavily season with the Essence.  Lightly coat every piece of fish and drop them one by one away from you in the oil.  It’s very important not to crowd the pan when frying, so it will take you a few batches. Cook for  Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Warm the tortillas by heating a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tortilla at a time, flipping to warm both sides, about 5 minutes total. Wrap the warm tortillas in a clean dishcloth and set aside while you prepare the fish.

To construct a taco, pile up the fish morsels in a warm tortilla, and top it with any optional garnishes.