Sous Vide Spicy Fish Tacos
By America's Test KitchenPublished on March 21, 2019
Time
Sous vide: 30 to 45 minutes; active cooking time: 30 minutes, plus at least 1 hour marinating time
Yield
Serves 4
Sous Vide Temperature
110°F/43.5°C
Ingredients
4 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon dried oregano Salt ½ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ cup minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 tablespoon honey ¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)2 1-pound skinless halibut fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick½ small head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (4 cups)6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 4 scallions, sliced thin¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sour cream 2 garlic cloves, minced12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmedLime wedge
Before You Begin
We prefer halibut here but cod or hake are good substitutes. For more about sous vide cooking, refer to our sous vide guide.
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil, chili powder, coriander, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and cumin in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and some bubbles form, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chipotle, tomato paste, and honey until well combined. Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice and let cool for 5 minutes. Measure out and reserve 2 tablespoons chipotle mixture in small bowl.
- Sprinkle halibut evenly on all sides with 2 teaspoons salt, then spread remaining chipotle mixture over fish. Place each fillet in separate 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bags, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 110°F/43.5°C in 7-quart container.
- Gently lower bags into prepared water bath until fillets are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of each bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 30 minutes or up to 45 minutes.
- Combine cabbage, ¼ cup cilantro, scallions, ¼ teaspoon salt, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in bowl and set aside. Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro into reserved chipotle mixture until combined. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Adjust oven rack 4 to 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Gently transfer halibut fillets to prepared sheet and broil until fish is firm and chipotle mixture begins to char, 4 to 5 minutes. Using knife or spatula, portion halibut into 12 equal pieces. Spread sauce evenly onto warm tortillas and top with fish and cabbage. Serve with lime wedges.
- We don't recommend making this recipe in advance.
to make ahead
Time
Sous vide: 30 to 45 minutes; active cooking time: 30 minutes, plus at least 1 hour marinating timeYield
Serves 4Sous Vide Temperature
110°F/43.5°CIngredients
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
2 1-pound skinless halibut fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick
½ small head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (4 cups)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 scallions, sliced thin
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Lime wedge
Ingredients
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
2 1-pound skinless halibut fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick
½ small head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (4 cups)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 scallions, sliced thin
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Lime wedge
Ingredients
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
2 1-pound skinless halibut fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick
½ small head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (4 cups)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 scallions, sliced thin
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Lime wedge
Why This Recipe Works
Fish tacos can look beautiful, overflowing with fresh ingredients and contrasting textures and colors. But that first bite? Disappointing, overcooked fish. We wanted to change that. We started by making a chipotle-based paste that would act as a marinade for our thick halibut fillets and also as the base for a zesty sauce to spread on the tortillas. Once the fish had finished marinating, we cooked the halibut sous vide at a very low temperature to keep it moist, and then blasted it quickly under the broiler to firm up the flesh and lightly char the marinade. Topped with a refreshing cabbage slaw, these fish tacos will put you in an endless-summer state of mind.
Before You Begin
We prefer halibut here but cod or hake are good substitutes. For more about sous vide cooking, refer to our sous vide guide.
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil, chili powder, coriander, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and cumin in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and some bubbles form, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chipotle, tomato paste, and honey until well combined. Off heat, stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice and let cool for 5 minutes. Measure out and reserve 2 tablespoons chipotle mixture in small bowl.
- Sprinkle halibut evenly on all sides with 2 teaspoons salt, then spread remaining chipotle mixture over fish. Place each fillet in separate 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Seal bags, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 110°F/43.5°C in 7-quart container.
- Gently lower bags into prepared water bath until fillets are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of each bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 30 minutes or up to 45 minutes.
- Combine cabbage, ¼ cup cilantro, scallions, ¼ teaspoon salt, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in bowl and set aside. Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro into reserved chipotle mixture until combined. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Adjust oven rack 4 to 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Gently transfer halibut fillets to prepared sheet and broil until fish is firm and chipotle mixture begins to char, 4 to 5 minutes. Using knife or spatula, portion halibut into 12 equal pieces. Spread sauce evenly onto warm tortillas and top with fish and cabbage. Serve with lime wedges.
- We don't recommend making this recipe in advance.
to make ahead
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