What I posted to the Schnuck's FB page in response to a truly awful
recipe:
------------------------------
Fish Tacos
1 pound frozen tilapia filets, thawed, cut into 3/4" squares, then
lightly salted, dredged in corn meal, and fried in extra light olive
or peanut oil. Pico de gallo, made with fresh jalapenos, vidalia or
other sweet onions, and good quality tomatoes (such as the Sweet
Cherub tomatoes featured in this Wednesday's Wows). Schnuck's shredded
mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Schnuck's sour cream. Freshly
shredded lettuce or cabbage. Thinly sliced avocado. Lime and lemon
wedges. Cilantro leaves (no stems) as a condiment. Raw corn tortillas
that have been fried in that same oil before the fish, but not fried
crispy where they can't be folded. You can also use flour tortillas if
you prefer. Notice that there are no joyless low fat ingredients, and
no jarred mayo or jarred salsa (ick!). It might not be as "fast," but
there's nothing but the finest ingredients, and life is too short to
waste on marginal tasting food.
-----------------------------

I used their branded ingredients, and referenced one of their weekly
promo items.
Then I followed up with this:
-----------------------------
It's also worth noting that other than the oil and the corn meal,
every ingredient comes from the perimeter of the store. That takes
advantage of Schnuck's having, IMO, the best quality produce of the
big 3 StL grocers. Sure, you could go for the Pace-type salsa in the
jar in the processed food aisle, or you could chop up fresh tomatoes,
chilies and onions from the produce dept. One is easier, and might be
adequate, some might even say, "pretty good," but with a little extra
effort--and admittedly, probably a little extra cost--you have
spectacular fresh salsa. Oh, and the Schnuck's store brand salsa is
just as good as the Pace stuff. Heck, they might even come from the
same factory. Did I say, "factory"?
-----------------------------


--Bryan

Bryan wrote:

> What I posted to the Schnuck's FB page in response to a truly awful
> recipe:
> ------------------------------
> Fish Tacos
> 1 pound frozen tilapia filets, thawed, cut into 3/4" squares, then
> lightly salted, dredged in corn meal, and fried in extra light olive
> or peanut oil. Pico de gallo, made with fresh jalapenos, vidalia or
> other sweet onions, and good quality tomatoes (such as the Sweet
> Cherub tomatoes featured in this Wednesday's Wows). Schnuck's shredded
> mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Schnuck's sour cream. Freshly
> shredded lettuce or cabbage. Thinly sliced avocado. Lime and lemon
> wedges. Cilantro leaves (no stems) as a condiment. Raw corn tortillas
> that have been fried in that same oil before the fish, but not fried
> crispy where they can't be folded. You can also use flour tortillas if
> you prefer. Notice that there are no joyless low fat ingredients, and
> no jarred mayo or jarred salsa (ick!). It might not be as "fast," but
> there's nothing but the finest ingredients, and life is too short to
> waste on marginal tasting food.

"Frozen tilapia filets" and "nothing but the finest ingredients" are
mutually exclusive.

Bob

Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> "Frozen tilapia filets" and "nothing but the finest ingredients" are
> mutually exclusive.

I know! What a feeble-tasting fish!

"George M. Middius" wrote:
>
> Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>
> > "Frozen tilapia filets" and "nothing but the finest ingredients" are
> > mutually exclusive.
>
> I know! What a feeble-tasting fish!

It's good though in the way chicken is good for making a huge variety of
meals. Bland meat makes for many meal options.

Gary

"Gary" > wrote in message ...
> "George M. Middius" wrote:
>>
>> Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>>
>> > "Frozen tilapia filets" and "nothing but the finest ingredients" are
>> > mutually exclusive.
>>
>> I know! What a feeble-tasting fish!
>
> It's good though in the way chicken is good for making a huge variety of
> meals. Bland meat makes for many meal options.
>
> Gary


I have no idea how this thread started; coming in in the middle. But
tilapia is mild, not feeble. (If fish smells FISHY there's a problem.) Why
would you want a strong tasting fish for something as banal as fish tacos?
I thought the seasonings and toppings were supposed to take care of that.

Jill

jmcquown > wrote:

>I have no idea how this thread started; coming in in the middle. But
>tilapia is mild, not feeble. (If fish smells FISHY there's a problem.) Why
>would you want a strong tasting fish for something as banal as fish tacos?
>I thought the seasonings and toppings were supposed to take care of that.

I prefer Alaska halibut for fish tacos. It's an expensive fish,
but the tacos are still noticeably better than if you use a lesser
fish, despite the seasoning level.

Some of it is texture, which seasonings cannot mask.


Steve

Steve Pope wrote:
>
> jmcquown > wrote:
>
> >I have no idea how this thread started; coming in in the middle. But
> >tilapia is mild, not feeble. (If fish smells FISHY there's a problem.) Why
> >would you want a strong tasting fish for something as banal as fish tacos?
> >I thought the seasonings and toppings were supposed to take care of that.
>
> I prefer Alaska halibut for fish tacos. It's an expensive fish,
> but the tacos are still noticeably better than if you use a lesser
> fish, despite the seasoning level.
>
> Some of it is texture, which seasonings cannot mask.
>
> Steve

I've never tried a fish taco and the concept sounds so nasty to me.
Kind of like a japanese girl I knew who liked fish on pizza. yuk.

Someday I'll try one....at a restaurant that supposedly knows how to do it
right.

Gary

On May 3, 9:16*am, Bryan > wrote:
> What I posted to the Schnuck's FB page in response to a truly awful
> recipe:
> ------------------------------
> *Fish Tacos
[snips]

There are many ways to skin a cat but I would point out that the fish
tacos created in Baja California never have included any cheese.
Readers can google past threads for "baja fish tacos" for more
details. -aem

Gary wrote:

> > > "Frozen tilapia filets" and "nothing but the finest ingredients" are
> > > mutually exclusive.
> >
> > I know! What a feeble-tasting fish!
>
> It's good though in the way chicken is good for making a huge variety of
> meals. Bland meat makes for many meal options.

If you can find bland tilapia, good for you. I've bought it twice and
both times it tasted like weeds or grass. Nobody I know ever uses it
either.

"George M. Middius" wrote:
>
> Gary wrote:
>
> > > > "Frozen tilapia filets" and "nothing but the finest ingredients" are
> > > > mutually exclusive.
> > >
> > > I know! What a feeble-tasting fish!
> >
> > It's good though in the way chicken is good for making a huge variety of
> > meals. Bland meat makes for many meal options.
>
> If you can find bland tilapia, good for you. I've bought it twice and
> both times it tasted like weeds or grass. Nobody I know ever uses it
> either.

LMAO! You bought tilapia and it tasted like weeds or grass? hahaha

I've used it twice. It has very little taste so you can add whatever.
First time: Broiled with minced onions and squeeze of lemon.
Very tasty
Second time: Fried in oil with tempura batter. YUM!

I've never tried weeds or grass but I don't think this fish would taste like
that.

Gary

On Sun, 6 May 2012 11:45:32 -0400, "jmcquown" >
wrote:
>
>
> I have no idea how this thread started; coming in in the middle. But
> tilapia is mild, not feeble. (If fish smells FISHY there's a problem.) Why
> would you want a strong tasting fish for something as banal as fish tacos?
> I thought the seasonings and toppings were supposed to take care of that.
>
I've been buying cod lately for fish tacos. I'll make them again
tomorrow, in fact, and will make some Cajun/Creole seasoning to flavor
the fish this time around.

Creole Spice Blend
http://www.closetcooking.com/2010/02/shrimp-po-boy.html

(makes 4 tablespoons)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme

Directions:

1. Mix everything.



--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

Gary > wrote:

>Steve Pope wrote:

>> I prefer Alaska halibut for fish tacos. It's an expensive fish,
>> but the tacos are still noticeably better than if you use a lesser
>> fish, despite the seasoning level.
>>
>> Some of it is texture, which seasonings cannot mask.
>>
>> Steve
>
>I've never tried a fish taco and the concept sounds so nasty to me.
>Kind of like a japanese girl I knew who liked fish on pizza. yuk.
>
>Someday I'll try one....at a restaurant that supposedly knows how to do it
>right.

Yeah, I'm not sure what to recommend. If you're on Maui, there are
numerous fish taco places, about half of which are very good.
The same should be true in Baja, but I have no personal experience
there.

If you're in southern California you have a pretty good (but not
definite) shot at a good fish taco from a normal taqueria -- if they're
on the menu in the first place.

Further afield, the odds are low. Many brewpubs have fish tacos
on the menu, but in my experience they are all uniformaly bad.
Similarly for the chains (Rubio's, Baja Fresh) at this point.

Especially beware of places that use flour rather than corn tortillas
for their fish "tacos", that's a red flag that they don't know what
they're doing.

Steve