Cinco recipes to get you hooked on fish tacos

Culinary historians estimate people have been eating tacos for more than 500 years.

Here in the Midwest, a taco generally means a crispy corn shell packed with seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and perhaps black olives. That image bears little resemblance to the first tacos likely made with fish from Mexico's lakes.

While the Zesty Lime Fish Tacos that won the Dinners Made Easy category at the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off also bear little resemblance to that early taco (ancient Mexicans did not flatten refrigerated biscuit dough into tortillas, for one), we can't deny that fish tacos are swimming back onto our plates.

The Mexican port city of Ensenada claims to be the birth place of the modern fish taco, pegging conception at 1958 when its famed fish market opened. Market vendors continue the tradition of dredging the day's catch - tuna, halibut and other white-fleshed fish - in batter, frying it and wrapping it in a soft corn tortilla. Radishes and cabbage are common condiments.

On this side of the border, San Diego is considered our country's mecca for fish tacos. Dining groups plan taquerie crawls allowing diners to sample fish tacos at a number of eateries. And last summer, chef Bobby Flay headed to this seaside town for his Food Network show "Throwdown with Bobby Flay," attempting to create the best fish taco against Mexican-born chef Cesar Gonzales of the popular Mama Testa taco stand.

Around the suburbs, seafood tacos are on the menu at casual eateries like Taco Valparaiso in Fox Lake and Bien Trucha in Geneva as well as at upscale restaurants, including Fonda Isabel in Lombard and Salsa 17 in Arlington Heights. You can even find them at chains like Baja Fresh, with restaurants in Rolling Meadows, Deerfield, Lombard and Wheaton.

That battered and fried fish taco might be the most recognizable, but it's not the only variety out there. In his 2009 book "Tacos," acclaimed Santa Fe chef Mark Miller shares recipes for that iconic variety as well as several others that start with grilled fish or fish cooked "ceviche-style" in citrus juice.

He writes that the batter-fried fish tacos originated with Japanese immigrants who worked in Ensenada's fishing industry.

"Along with their skills as fishermen, the Japanese also brought with them the technique for tempura - deep-frying fish in batter," Miller writes. "The Mexicans adapted this technique to make tacos, using young shark, a very inexpensive local catch that held up beautifully when fried."

If you want a Baja-style fish taco but want to avoid deep-frying (after all, if we're supposed to eat more fish for health reasons, shouldn't our fish dish be healthful?), alter the batter and saute in just a bit of oil.

Associated Press food writer Jim Ramoff says Wondra flour (sold in baking aisles and often used for gravies) creates an excellent crust even when fried in only a tiny amount of oil. For a gluten-free alternative, try rice flour.