Corn-crusted fish tacos with jalapeno-lime sauce and spicy black

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs. tilapia (catfish and swai work too)
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 4-5 Tb. olive oil
• 8-16 tortillas (white corn tortillas are traditional)
• 1 ½ cup shredded red cabbage
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• ¾ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 limes cut into wedges
• Bottled hot sauce
• 2 cans black beans, drained
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• ½ tsp. cumin
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 2/3 cup light mayo
• 1-2 Tb. lime juice
• 1 chopped jalapeño (pickled if sensitive to heat)

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Preparation

• Mix the mayo, lime juice and chopped jalapeno in a small bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, then put in the fridge. I use a pickled jalapeno when I’m serving this to children because it provides great flavor, but isn’t as hot as a fresh jalapeno.
  
  Chop all veggies and set aside. Add 1 Tb. of oil to a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the green onions and allow them to sauté for 1-2 minutes. Pour both cans of drained beans into the pan. Bring to a simmer and add the cumin, cayenne and ½ tsp. of salt. Squeeze a couple of lime wedges into the beans. Cook for 5 minutes longer. Cover and set aside. Top the beans with cheese when you are ready to serve them.
  
  Heat a large skillet to high heat. Cut the fish into 1 X 3 inch strips. Drizzle oil on the fish, then salt and pepper both sides.
  
  Pour the cornmeal into a pie pan. Roll the fish strips in cornmeal, shaking off the excess.
  
  Add 2 Tb. of oil to pan. When it’s hot, cook half the fish strips 1-2 minutes per side, until opaque and flaky. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish. Remove the fish from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat.
  
  Warm the tortillas in the microwave. Divide the fish between 8 tortillas. (You can double up the tortillas so they won’t break!) Then top each with cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro and jalapeno-lime sauce. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce—black beans on the side.