Baja Fish Tacos

Chef Gerard Viverito is in his element. At his pop-up food station in New York, folks are clamoring for his popular Baja-Style Fish Tacos. As he serves each person in line, the charismatic "Chef G" enjoys educating his customers about sustainable cuisine. For the last 20 years, there has been an evolution of Chef Viverito’s philosophy and style of cooking. After spending years in the Caribbean and Europe honing his fine-dining skills, he relocated to San Diego to run a fine-dining kitchen and serve the exclusive clientele of Southern California’s Rancho Santa Fe region. 

When he traveled to Baja California from San Diego, he fell in love with a local treat: the humble fish taco. This sparked something in him that would later change his life. Every Thursday he sells Baja-Style Fish Tacos using sustainable species of fish cooked in Malaysian-certified sustainable palm oil. 

For the Cabbage:

2 cups thinly sliced white/green cabbage

For the Beer Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup beer

For the Fish and Tortillas:

1-1/2 pounds skinless haddock, or other mild light fish, cut into 1-inch wide x 4-inch long strips

Malaysian Palm Oil, for frying

12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas, warmed

Lime wedges, for serving

For the Tomato Salsa:

2 tablespoon Malaysian Palm Oil

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 serrano chili

1 jalapeno, sliced

1 tablespoon chipotle hot sauce

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Salt and pepper

For the Crema:

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

For the Quick-Pickled Onions:

1 medium red onion, about 5 ounces

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 small clove of garlic, halved

5 black peppercorns

1 small dried chili

Instructions

Slice the onions to roughly ¼ inch thick. Bring the ingredients to a boil, turn off the heat, add the onions, and let stand for 5 minutes. Cool down and store. The onions will be ready in about 30 minutes but are better after a few hours. Store in the refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks, but are best in the first week.

Slice the cabbage and put in a bowl. 

Combine all salsa ingredients and let sit to marry the flavors.

Combine all crema ingredients and let flavors blend.

Mix the flour, salt, and oregano together in a medium bowl. Gradually add the beer, whisking until the batter is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add enough palm oil to reach a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F, or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when dipped into the oil. Working in batches, dip the fish strips in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Let the excess batter drip off, then fry the fish in the hot palm oil until golden brown and cooked through––about 2 minutes per side or an internal temperature of 140 degrees F is reached. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Place a strip of fish in each tortilla, then top with the cabbage slaw and serve with lime wedges, salsa, crema, and pickled red onions. Enjoy!

Chef Gerard Viverito, is a culinary instructor and the Director of Culinary Education for Passionfish, a NGO non-profit organization dedicated to educating people around the globe on the issue of sustainability in the seas. He is also operator of Saveur Fine Catering, a company whose beliefs and products center on local, sustainable, and organic foods. Chef Viverito’s pantry is loaded with items commonly overlooked in the supermarkets, yet he has a thorough understanding of them and a passion to teach others how to cook more healthfully.

In addition, Chef Viverito has dedicated a large part of his career to what he terms "functional cooking." This is where he adds nutritional ingredients to dishes to gain healthful results. He is well-known for his ability to lower the glycemic index value of food and to add omega fatty acids and whole proteins to dishes without compromising the texture or taste. He appears regularly on radio and television programs demonstrating this as well as consulting clients on their dietary needs.

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