>> Pati Narrates: The Baja peninsula is surrounded by two of the most bountiful bodies of water in the world.
The Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean.
Up and down the peninsula, people are doing amazingly inventive things with anything and everything they catch, but the mecca for seafood on the Baja peninsula is here - just an hour drive south of Tijuana on the Pacific Coast, the thriving port town of Ensenada.
Fresh fish from all over Baja is brought here, and then shipped all over the world.
It's a town with some history.
The oldest bar in Mexico, the original margarita, and they say the very first fish taco are all part of the story.
Oh, mmm, mmm!
It's so fresh!
Pati: And because I know you're dying to know how to make the absolute perfect beer battered fish taco, I'm gonna show you how.
And to go with it?
A little something sweet, one of my favorite desserts.
Bright, creamy, delicious Arroz Con Leche.
And this is really bringing me back to my childhood.
>> Pati's Mexican Table is made possible by: epic music plays >> La Costea.
Taste that transcends.
More information at mexicorico.com Over 40 years, bringing authentic Latin American flavors to your table.
Tropical Cheese.
>> Coronado Dulce de Leche Caramel, proud to support Pati's Mexican Table.
Avocados from Mexico >> The Ministry Of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries And Mexbest.
>> Pati: Ensenada is famous for a lot of things, but really everything here revolves around the seafood, some of the best in the world, and I'm dying to try it.
Luckily David Martinez, owner of the restaurant Muelle 3 has it covered.
How would you describe the gastronomy of the place?
>> I remember when I was growing up, we always had lobsters and mussels - >> Because it's right here!
>> Uh-huh!
My father was a doctor, and he always brought things because people pay them - >> With seafood?
>> With species.
>> Instead of cash.
>> Exactly, so all my life we have grew up with this - >> Treasure trove from the sea.
>> Yeah!
>> Tell me about this.
>> So crazy corn!
People know it by crazy corn.
>> Oh it has shrimp!
>> Mmm.
Instead of just having the corn broth, this is like a seafood bisque.
It's delightful.
>> The chef works very little with the ingredients.
>> Because they're so good!
>> Exactly.
>> Pati: To prove their point, Chef Aldony prepares their signature ceviche with yellowtail, clam, octopus and shrimp, then mixed with tomatoes, cucumber, onions and ginger.
The shrimp are so plump, they're like bursting in my mouth when I bite into them.
Can't get fresher than this.
Que rico!
>> Yes!
Salud.
>> Gracias!
>> De nada.
>> Pati: With all of this incredible seafood in Ensenada, it's no wonder one of the most famous seafood recipes was born here.
I'm talking about the fish taco!
Look at this beauty.
A fried fish filet dredged in fluffy batter, fried to crispy perfection, and wrapped in a warm tortilla.
So perfect it seems like it has always been here.
No one is quite sure who or when it was invented, but if you want to taste one of the best in town, come to this charming little stand about 50 feet from the local fish market, Lily's Tacos.
Just don't call her Lily - I'm here with Martha, who is owner of Lily's Fish Tacos, but you are not a Lily.
>> No Lily in her family - >> Pati: Martha's Lily's Tacos - whatever you want to call them, are carrying on one of Ensenada's proudest traditions.
>> What makes you batter different from the rest?
>> If you come to Ensenada and don't eat a fish taco, Martha says you didn't really come to Ensenada.
>> Pati: Once the fish is perfectly fried, it's dressed with Mexican creme, onion, shredded cabbage, a squeeze of lime, and topped with a spicy peanut salsa.
Mmm, mmm!
The batter is so light.
It looks so thick there, but it's silky.
It's just an honest to goodness amazing fish taco.
>> Gracias.
>> Gracias Martha.
>> No - >> Or Lily!
(laughs) >> Fish tacos are so huge in the Baja peninsula that I think if there's one dish that defines the region, that is it, The Fish Taco.
It's very simple, but we have to build it up.
The first thing we'll make is flour tortillas because you can make flour tortillas at home.
So I have 4 cups of flour, and I'll add 1 teaspoon of salt, 2/3 cup of lard - if you don't want to use lard, you can use vegetable shortening, and 1 cup of lukewarm water.
Then we're just gonna start kneading.
There is an important debate in Mexican cooking that relates to flour versus corn tortillas.
Now I love both, I tend to prefer corn tortillas for most things.
South of Mexico City favors corn tortilla, now North of Mexico City, people prefer flour tortilla, but the important thing about flour and corn tortillas is that some things should never be made with flour tortillas.
For example, the enchiladas.
Some things need to have corn tortillas like carne asada tacos, or most tacos.
These are rules that definitely exist, but they're unwritten.
Mexicans, we know them.
Once your dough is dense and sticky, it's ready to knead, and the more I knead it, the lighter and fluffier it gets.
When my dough isn't sticky anymore, and it's nice and smooth, I know it's ready.
I have the dough, I'm gonna split it in half until I get 16 portions.
So very excited for you guys to try, and for you to tell the difference between a freshly homemade flour tortilla, and tortillas that come from a pack.
(Pati counts) Yeah, we're done!
(laughs) So we have our 16 portions.
Now I'm gonna cover them, and they're gonna rest between 20 - 30 minutes so all the ingredients we kneaded in the dough can come together.
We have the little balls of dough that rested already, and then I'm gonna roll these out.
They're not gonna be perfectly round, and it doesn't matter.
All you need to make flour tortillas is a good recipe with good measurements, which I just gave you, and just give yourself the time.
This is how thin it needs to be.
So you can see, see?
You can see my hand through the tortilla.
You just put it on your already heated comale, griddle or skillet, and then you wait until you see bubbles on top - this is really fun, come see 'cause you can see all the bubbles starting to form.
Then you flip the tortilla when it starts getting freckled, and you can see all the freckles, like I'm full of freckles the tortilla is too.
Then once you flip it, it's gonna really puff.
You take the tortilla off, run and get some butter - Oh, see how it's melting all over it?
Mmm!
Sprinkle some salt.
And - mmm, mmm!
It's so soft, but for a proper fish taco, we need a lot of toppings so now I'm gonna make a Salsa Macha.
I have my pan here set over medium heat, and I'm gonna add about 1.5 cups of olive oil.
You may be wondering "what is she doing?"
'cause this is most certainly a very unusual salsa.
So the first thing I'll add is a 1/2 cup of raw, unsalted, shelled and peeled peanuts, 4 cloves of garlic.
The next thing we'll add is Morita Chipotle and Mecca Chipotle.
The Moritas are of course prettier and smell much more fragrant and has a lot more flavor.
I'm adding 3/4 cups of each, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, not toasted.
This salsa is a very unusual salsa.
It's not like your typical Mexican salsa that's like a tomato or tomatillo salsa, this is like a very hefty, velvety wet rub Okay so now I'm just gonna pour everything in here, and I'm gonna add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt and we're gonna puree until completely smooth.
(food processor whirs) >> You think you knew salsa?
You didn't because you haven't tasted this one!
Spicy, savory, tiny bit sweet, you feel a hint of acidity, this salsa is perfect.
The last thing we need for our perfect fish taco, a cream slaw.
I have a 1/4 cup of mayo, a 1/4 cup of Mexican crema, 3 tablespoons orange juice, salt, some black pepper, 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar, and then I'll mix that up.
So we're gonna add 3 cups of shredded green cabbage, 3 scallions, and that's it!
We have our creamy slaw.
>> Pati: If you thought the most famous thing to come from Ensenada was the fish taco, let me take you to the oldest bar in all of Mexico where something even more famous was born.
I'm at Hussong's Cantina.
Supposedly the margarita originated right here, so I'm gonna find out a little bit, and I also wanna get a drink!
Pati: Hussong's was established in 1892, and you can feel over 100 years of history in this bar.
>> So it was a barman who was here, there was a woman who was a regular, and playing with her a little, he made up a drink, and her name was Margarita, and joking, he said "Here's your Margarita".
>> Wait, wait, 1941, so this Cantina - >> You guys, they have so much paperwork in this cantina, I love it.
(group laughs) >> Now they're messing with me.
I'm so gullible you guys.
Pati: Martin has prepared a blender jar with a scoop of ice, and then pours in equal parts lime juice, tequila and orange liquor.
Mmm!
It's delicious because, different from the margaritas I've drank in other places, here you can taste the tiny bits of ice that are soaking up all the flavors.
>> I made them want to order one.
Aye!
Que linda.
>> We're making these amazingly delicious fish tacos, so I want something sweet, mild and refreshing to end the meal, so I'm gonna make Arroz Con Leche, or rice pudding.
To begin, I have 1 cup of white rice.
I'm gonna pour 2 cups of water and wait for this to simmer, and while that happens, I'm gonna mix my milks.
So I have 4 cups of milk, a 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Growing up there used to be either arroz con leche, flan or jello in the refrigerator all the time.
It's just something we hanker for that's nurturing, satisfying and very affordable!
So this is mixed and my water is already simmering, so this is the moment when you want to pour the milks.
I'm adding the peel of an orange and 1/2 a stick of cinnamon.
I'm gonna let this come to a simmer over medium heat and partially cover it for 40 minutes.
>> Pati: Of all the delicious food you can eat in Ensenada, I saved the best for last.
La Guerre Rense is a legendary food cart where the seafood tostadas are so fresh, so decadent, so yum, that for me anyways is love at first sight!
Love is a common theme here.
We're here in Ensenada with Sabina who's the queen!
She's the Queen of Ensenada, she's the Queen of ceviches >> 42 years here!
>> Wow!
That's a great story.
Okay, her in-laws started a tiny little seafood stand - >> So Sabina comes 16 years later with her husband, but she came for her honeymoon.
>> She never went back!
Pati: What Sabina didn't know about seafood was that she would quickly discover a passion for producing the most delicious creations any tostada could possibly hold.
Okay, so here we have her number 1 tostada.
The base is sea urchin, and then on top is the chocolate clam which is this gigantic clam over here.
It looks like art.
>> Mmm!
>> It's fresh from the sea, touched by a magic wand here, and then straight into my mouth.
>> (Sabina laughs) >> Pati: La Guerre Rense is such an experience that you have to try as much as possible because you don't know when you'll eat this good again!
Their next labor of love is sea snail ceviche topped with more slices of sea snail.
Sabina!
>> The sea snail is so incredibly tender.
Sabina, why do you think you're so incredibly inventive?
>> Pati: The love being spread here is a creamy pt of smoked tuna topped with raw scallops, lime juice, salsa and avocado.
I think this is my favorite now.
This is oh - mmm, mmm!
It's so fresh!
I cannot tell you how happy I am right now.
The people of Ensenada are proud of their seafood and will say they're lucky to have the ocean and it's incredible bounty, but one of the true treasures of Ensenada is right here at La Guerre Rense where love and luck make for culinary genius.
Mmm, mmm!
(laughs) >> Mmm!
This is my favorite one.
>> I think if you gave me the first one again, I'd say that's my favorite.
>> (Sabina laughs) >> My rice pudding all cooked.
I stop right here when it's still very milky, and then I'm gonna add 1/4 cup of raisins.
I know there are strong opinions about raisins, so if you want to skip the raisins, you can skip them.
Then I'm gonna pour this into this bowl and let it chill.
We're gonna finally make the fish that's gonna go in the fish taco, and here I have some very fresh cod.
I'm gonna cut strips about this width, and I'll season my fish on both sides with salt and pepper.
Dredge it in flour.
In a fish taco, you want a fish that won't overpower the taco, so you want a mild fish that's nice and flaky, you want it to break the moment you bite into it.
Now we're gonna make the coating.
In Spanish, when you make a coating that has egg and flour in it, we call it "capeado" which is actually a beautiful word that translates to something like adding a coat or cape to something.
So I have the two egg whites, and I'm gonna beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.
I've been pre-heating the oil for about 10 minutes over low - medium heat.
So the moment I see they're holding a good shape...
I'm stopping.
Here I have 1 cup of flour, and I'll add a pinch of cumin to add personality, 1 teaspoon of salt, open a beer - for this, I recommend a beer that's not too bitter or strong.
I wanna make sure there are absolutely no lumps in here.
Once the batter is smooth, I'll add the egg whites a little at a time and gently incorporate them to keep my batter nice and fluffy.
I think that a good fish taco needs to have, or course, really fresh fish, and then you need some really fluffy tasty batter, and I think this achieves it because it has the beer, and I think that beer really helps to add that yeasty taste reminiscent of fresh yeasty bread I guess, and this is breading so it's a good thing.
You're gonna grab the coated fish, dip it in the batter.
Mmm, mmm, mmm.
Oh beautiful, see?
This is the most pillowy, fluffy batter, and you wanna wait about 2 minutes per side.
Mmm, mmm, mmm!
Because I want the flavor of the salsa macha everywhere, I'm gonna spread a little, or a lot.
I'm gonna add my slaw, red onion and serranos that have been marinating with a bit of lime juice.
>> Mmm, mmm, mmm!
So delicious the breaded fish inside this really soft and almost sweet flour tortilla.
These are really amazing fish tacos, so if you can go to Ensenada, you can go to Ensenada, but if you want an amazing fish taco experience, you can easily have one at home.
And by now, my arroz con leche has cooled.
This is really bringing me back to my childhood.
I'm just gonna grate some cinnamon on top, or canella.
Mmm, it is such a classic taste, it's the perfect sweet ending to a meal.
We had that iconic fish taco, and then we have this really classic Mexican rice pudding that so many of us in Mexico really love.
Mmm!
>> Pati: For recipes and information from this episode and more visit patijinich.com, and connect!
Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @PatiJinich.
>> Pati's Mexican Table is made possible by: epic music plays >> La Costea.
Taste that transcends.
More information at: mexicorico.com A tradition of authentic Latin flavors and family recipes.
Tropical Cheese.
>> Coronado Dulce de Leche Caramel, proud to support Pati's Mexican Table.
Avocados from Mexico >> The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Mexbest.
Proud to support Pati's Mexican Table on public television.
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