Fish Tacos: Southern-style

I made fish tacos this weekend. Man, was my husband happy! We love this California favorite even though we are both southerners. What makes these puppies southern-style is that I use catfish. To me it tastes just as good as red snapper or mahi mahi, and it isn't nearly as expensive or hard to find. Because my hubby doesn't like fried foods, I usually make a batch of baked fish for him and a batch of fried for me. I like to make the white sauce and fish batter about 4 hours ahead to let the flavors meld together. I just wrap them and place the bowls in the fridge until I'm ready to cook.

WHITE SAUCE:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
fresh lime juice to taste (I like about 1 small lime, or 1/2 of a large lime)
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Whisk together the yogurt and mayo in a bowl. Gradually stir in the lime juice until the mixture just reaches a "runny" consistency. Blend in the oregano and cayenne. Lastly, fold in the chopped cilantro. Chill for 4 hours.


BEER BATTER:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp crushed oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
1 egg yolk
6 oz beer (I like an ale such as Newcastle or Fat Tire)
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and spices. Now add the egg yolk and beer. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the fish - a heavy cream consistency. Chill for 4 hours.



CATFISH:
2 lb catfish filets, cut into 2-inch pieces

If you want fried and baked fish, decide how much fish you want to fry and how much you want to bake.

To make the baked fish, preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the catfish pieces on a broiler pan lined with foil and oiled with cooking spray. Sprinkle the fish (each side) with the herb mixture:
1/4 tsp crushed oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
Place in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

To make the fried fish, preheat a fryer or a deep pot halfway filled with oil to 375 F. Dip the fish into the preparered batter to coat it well. Deep-fry the pieces for 5 about minutes, or until golden brown, turning half way through cooking.

BUILDING YOUR TACO:
warm tortillas (flour or corn)
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 ripe avocado, sliced
lime for squeezing

Place the cooked catfish on the warm tortillas, top with cabbage and avocado, drizzle with white sauce, and squeeze on some lime juice. Yum Yum!