Leah L Harbottle
Gregory HarbottleSmall Island, Big Heart
Small Island, Big Heart
As August draws to a close, we welcome some of the familiar sights like school buses on the roads and the last batch of this season’s mangoes. Having just received the news of another extension to the 14-day quarantine, the shared sentiment among community members is not only the need to take care of our island home but also one another. As the extension essentially shutters many of the island’s businesses and employment options for an additional month, you don’t have to look very far to see neighbors coming together to lend a hand these days. The literal translation of the Hawaiian word laulima is “many hands working together.” We look across our island and see farmers offering weekly food giveaways, those who are able to support local businesses enthusiastically doing so, and about a hundred daily examples of neighbors helping neighbors without a second thought. Seeing laulima in action is both gratifying and humbling. It’s easy to understand there is no place on earth quite like Maui. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, there is truly no place we’d rather be. Mahalo, Maui.
The Ultimate Fish Tacos
Level: Intermediate | Total: 50 min | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 20 min | Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds mahi mahi (skinned, boned and cleaned) cut into 1-ounce strips
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1/2 head savoy cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
- 1 bunch chives, chopped
- 3 limes, cut into wedges for garnish
Pink Chile Mayonnaise:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mango-Radish Salsa:
- 2 limes
- 2 mangoes, diced
- 4 to 5 red radishes, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Prepare the fish. Cut the pieces of fish into 1-ounce strips. Set up a breading station of flour, lightly beaten eggs with water, and seasoned panko bread crumbs. Season all with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces of fish in flour, egg then bread crumbs. Once all the fish is breaded deep-fry in small batches in (375 degrees F) oil. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Keep warm until ready to serve.
2. Prepare the pink chile mayonnaise. Put the chipotles in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, adobo sauce and lemon juice and continue to process until the mixture is consistent and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Prepare the mango-radish salsa. Remove the peel and pith from the limes and cut between the membranes to remove the segments. Put these “supremes” into a bowl and squeeze over the juice from the membranes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Season and refrigerate until ready to use. You can also place all of the ingredients into a food processor and puree for a smoother salsa.
4. To serve, set up the tacos “family-style”. Assemble the fish in a pile on a plate; the pink chile mayonnaise in a bowl; and mango-radish salsa in another. Set a pile of shredded savoy cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped chives and lime wedges next to the fish. Toast the corn tortillas lightly over an open flame (on your stove top) and serve.