Fish ‘Tacos’ Recipe from Kimbal Musk’s Latest Cookbook

A spread of dishes from Kimbal Musk's cookbook, "The Kitchen Cookbook." Mr. Musk runs several locations of The Kitchen restaurants around the country. (Laurie Smith)

Chef Hugo Matheson, one of our co-founders, taught us how to make authentic pub-style fried fish, with extra crispy batter coating a flaky white fish like rockfish or cod. The twist? We serve the fish with taco fixings in lettuce cups instead of tortillas. The whole presentation is so light and airy, crispy and crunchy, and fresh without ever feeling heavy. It’s a great shared dish, especially for anyone with a gluten-free diet. We use rockfish, but you’d get equally delicious results with cod, hake, or even red snapper.

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless rockfish, cod, or other white fish
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 1/4 cups cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 cup cold club soda

To Serve

• 12 large Bibb lettuce leaves
• Jalapeño aioli (recipe follows)
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Pickled red onions (recipe follows)
• 1 watermelon radish, cut into julienne
• Fresh lime juice

Peanut or other neutral oil, for frying.

Cut the fish into 12 pieces, each about 2 ounces, and season with salt. Place the cornstarch in a large bowl and whisk in the paprika, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gently pour the club soda into the cornstarch and mix with a fork.

To fry the fish, pour oil into a wide sauté pan or saucepan to come about 3 inches up the sides. Heat over medium-high to 325°F. When the oil is ready, dredge the fish in the cornstarch mixture, then shake off the excess. Using a slotted spoon, add half of the pieces of battered fish to the oil and fry, turning once with tongs, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining fish.

To serve, set the lettuce leaves on plates. Spread the jalapeño mayo on the bottom of each lettuce leaf, then set the fish into the lettuce. Top each piece of fish with the cilantro, pickled red onions, and radish (we use watermelon radishes, but you can sub in plain red radishes if you like). Finish with a quick drizzle of lime juice and serve immediately.

Jalepeño Aioli

Makes about 1 1/4  cups

• 1/4 cup minced pickled jalapeños, homemade or store-bought
• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic paste (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Salt, to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. This mayo will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Roasted Garlic Paste

Makes about 1/2 cup paste

• 1 cup peeled garlic cloves
• Grapeseed or other neutral oil to cover (about 1 cup)

Bring the garlic and oil to a simmer over medium heat and then reduce to the lowest heat. Cook until the garlic is softened and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. If the oil starts bubbling vigorously, remove from the heat briefly, then return to low heat. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Store the roasted garlic cloves in the oil, tightly sealed and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks. When ready to use, strain out the garlic and blend to create a smooth paste. Reserve the oil as a flavorful substitute for a neutral oil in salad dressings and marinades.

Pickled Red Onions

Makes 3 pints

• 2 cups rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 large red onions, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 5 minutes.

Divide the sliced onions evenly among 3 pint-sized mason jars. Pour the vinegar mixture evenly over the onions and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before using. The pickled onions will keep tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Recipe excerpted with permission from “The Kitchen Cookbook: Cooking for Your Community” by Kimbal Musk. Published by Melcher Media Inc.