Recipes
Milwaukee Fish Tacos in Simple Beer Batter
Sweet Water Organics is an urban fish and vegetable farm set in a converted crane factory in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood. In a continuous cycle of life, tilapia and perch droppings provide fertilizer for the farm’s array of vegetables, which range from lettuce to tomatoes to basil.
Every Sunday, resident chef Margaret Muza prepares brunch for Sweet Water employees, and everyone always hopes it’ll be her famous fish tacos.
If you’re adventurous enough to want to fillet a whole fish, watch Muza’s demonstration video.
Makes: 4 servings (8 tacos)
Every Sunday, resident chef Margaret Muza prepares brunch for Sweet Water employees, and everyone always hopes it’ll be her famous fish tacos.
If you’re adventurous enough to want to fillet a whole fish, watch Muza’s demonstration video.
Makes: 4 servings (8 tacos)
Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can), finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 large lime
Salt
Pepper
Beer batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 egg
1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer
2 medium-size tilapia, cleaned and filleted (4 fillets, about 16 ounces total), cut into 1 1/2- by 2-inch strips
Flour for dredging
Oil for frying
To serve:
8 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Cabbage coleslaw: 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage tossed with juice of 1 lime and 1 tablespoon salt
Chopped red onion
Chopped cilantro
2 large limes, cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can), finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
Juice of 1 large lime
Salt
Pepper
Beer batter:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 egg
1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer
2 medium-size tilapia, cleaned and filleted (4 fillets, about 16 ounces total), cut into 1 1/2- by 2-inch strips
Flour for dredging
Oil for frying
To serve:
8 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Cabbage coleslaw: 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage tossed with juice of 1 lime and 1 tablespoon salt
Chopped red onion
Chopped cilantro
2 large limes, cut into wedges
Directions:
Make sauce. Whisk garlic, chipotles, mayonnaise, buttermilk and lime juice together until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Make batter. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Crack in egg and add beer. Whisk vigorously to create a batter.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees. Dredge fish pieces in flour then dip completely into batter. Let excess batter drip back into bowl and gently lower fish into skillet. Fry until golden and crispy, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Serve fish immediately with tortillas, sauce, cabbage coleslaw, red onion, cilantro and lime wedges.
Make sauce. Whisk garlic, chipotles, mayonnaise, buttermilk and lime juice together until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Make batter. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Crack in egg and add beer. Whisk vigorously to create a batter.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees. Dredge fish pieces in flour then dip completely into batter. Let excess batter drip back into bowl and gently lower fish into skillet. Fry until golden and crispy, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Serve fish immediately with tortillas, sauce, cabbage coleslaw, red onion, cilantro and lime wedges.
