Not a Five, a Ten

Even in college I considered myself a foodie.  How can you not be in Athens?  Not only does the Classic City have a plethora of bars, but the restaurant selection is amazing.  So are the prices.  An added bonus is you can pretty much go anywhere in jeans and a t-shirt.

So when I was at UGA and local chef, Hugh Acheson, was featured on the cover of Food & Wine as one of the best new chefs of 2002, I knew that I needed to visit his restaurant immediately.  Now, this post is not a review of Five and Ten {which is ah-mazing BTW} but when his recipe for Fish Tacos popped up on my weekly email from Saveur, I knew I needed to make them.  This recipe (tweaked a bit), like his restaurant, did not disappoint.

Roasting veggies for salsa

Homemade Salsa

Yummy Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos with Roasted Tomato Salsa

Printable Recipe

• 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1 serrano chile
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt to taste
• One packet of Splenda
• 1 cup canned pinto beans
• 16 6″ corn tortillas
• Canola oil, for frying
• 2 boneless, skinless flounder or halibut filets
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Make the salsa: Heat a 12″ cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, serrano chile and bell pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until charred all over. Transfer vegetables to a plate and let cool. Peel the garlic and stem and seed the serrano chile. Transfer vegetables, 2 tbsp. chicken broth and 1tsp cilantro to a small food processor and process into a chunky purée; set aside. Season salsa with salt and Splenda, transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside.

Make the tacos: Put beans into a small pot and heat over medium heat until hot; cover, remove from heat, and keep warm. Heat a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Pour oil into a 5-qt. pot to a depth of 2″ and heat over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, season fish with salt and chili powder and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Add fish to the oil and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fish to a rack set in a baking sheet. To serve, use1 tortilla per taco. Divide beans among tacos; top beans with fish, avocado, the remaining cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice and a tablespoon of salsa. Serve warm.

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