In celebration of the recently held South Beach Wine & Food Festival we bring you a tasty recipe from one of the prominent chefs showcased at the event. Santiago Gomez, the executive chef of Cantina La Veinte, has created Tacos de Pescado a La Talla, a very popular dish from the coast of Mexico that he prepares with TABASCO for a rich, satisfying taste that is packed with smoky flavor. Gomez’s version of the famous dish is prepared with snapper and incorporates zesty Latin ingredients, such as tangy achiote, chile ancho, and chile guajillo, for an exceptionally bold taste.

Tacos de Pescado a La Talla is a delicious, yet easy, recipe that is perfect for Lent, without any of the sacrifice, as well as an ideal alternative to meat or poultry all year-long.

The dish was especially created for Gomez’s participation in one of the country’s premier food festivals, South Beach Wine & Food’s Tacos After Dark.

Tacos de Pescado a La Talla
Created by Chef Santiago Gomez of Cantina La Veinte 

Ingredients:

1 pound of white fish, cut in cubes

10 corn tortillas

3 spring onions

3 limes

2 sprigs of cilantro

For the Talla Sauce:

5 ounces of vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups of white onions, chopped

3 tablespoons of garlic, chopped

3 cups of tomatoes, chopped

1 bay leaf 

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 teaspoon of thyme

1 teaspoon of annatto

1/2 cup guajillo chili, chopped

1/2 cup of poblano chili, chopped

1/2 cup of pasilla chili, chopped

1/2 teaspoon of TABASCO Original Red Sauce

1/2 teaspoon of TABASCO Chipotle Sauce

1 cup of water

1 ounce of apple vinegar

Salt, to taste

Preparation:

Clean all the chilies, remove the seeds and cut them in small cubes. Heat oil in a large pan, add the chopped onions and garlic and let it cook until they’re golden brown. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add the rest of the ingredients, salt to taste and cook for 20 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and mix well until it achieves a creamy consistency. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the fish and the Talla Sauce and let it marinade for approximately 30 minutes.

In a frying pan over medium heat pour vegetable oil. Add the marinated fish and let it cook for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, heat up the tortillas and place them on a plate. Top them with the cooked fish, a little bit of sauce and garnish with chopped onion and cilantro.

Makes 10 servings.