Cooking with Compassion: Crispy Fish Tacos & Cabbage Slaw

Thanks to our guest bloggers, students of the Cherry Creek High School Cooking Club, for their interest in volunteering for IFCS, which led them to find a recipe using common ingredients stocked on shelves in the Market @ IFCS. We invite our participants and supporters to try this recipe, and wish the Cooking Club many more happy adventures in the kitchen!

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At Cherry Creek High School Cooking Club, our mission has always been to bring people together with food. Recently, our team took on a flavorful challenge: making Crispy Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw, capturing freshness but also community spirit.

The tacos are a perfect combination of texture and taste: crispy, golden brown fish balanced using the tang and crunch of fresh red cabbage slaw, finished with a creamy, smoky sauce. Simple ingredients come together to make something special, much like our community.

Cooking began with energy and teamwork. We would split off into teams of 6 each at a separate station. One group would be preparing slaw: thinly sliced radishes, cabbage, and cilantro tossed with honey, lime, and a touch of spice. Another group would be focusing on fish, covering each piece in a seasoned blend of cornmeal and paprika before frying it to perfection. Soon, the room would be filled with warmth and laughter as the fish sizzled and the slaw came together. The finishing touch would be “a chili-lima crema”, tying the dish together with a smokey richness, complementing each and every bite.

      

For the Cooking Club, cooking isn’t just about creating a good meal. It’s about fostering a welcoming community full of care. Meals like these remind us that food has the power to comfort. Food has the power to bring joy. Food has the power to build bridges. Each taco represents the shared effort of students at CCHS who dedicate their time to benefit families across the Denver area.

Every dish we make at CCHS Cooking Club reinforces the idea that acts of kindness can start in the kitchen. Through community partnerships like IFCS, we strive to contribute to the cause for everyone to have access to nutritious, homemade meals, with a reminder that they are not alone.

Whether it’s a warm meal, a friendly smile, or a moment of shared gratitude, these small gestures build the foundation for stronger communities.

Together, one meal at a time, we continue to serve with compassion.

Sincerely,

The CCHS Cooking Club

 

CLICK HERE for the printable recipe

Crispy Fish Tacos & Cabbage Slaw

This recipe makes about 10 small, street-style tacos.

Ingredients marked in bold are regularly found in the Market @ IFCS.
Ingredients in bold italics are occasionally/seasonally available in the Market @IFCS.

For the slaw:

• 1 1/2 limes, divided
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced cabbage (about a 1/2 small head of cabbage)
• 5 radishes, cut into matchsticks (3/4 cup of matchsticks)
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (optional)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

For the crema:

• 1/2 cup sour cream (can substitute plain greek yogurt)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the fish

• 1 lime, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal (can substitute finely crushed corn flakes)
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup whole milk, heavy cream, or buttermilk
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless cod fillets, fresh or thawed from frozen (can substitute any white fish or thin strips of skinless chicken breast/tenderloins)

Method

1. Make the slaw and crema:
   Zest both limes, then slice each in half. In a medium bowl, add the lime zest and lime juice from 1 1/2 of the limes, the honey, oil, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine. Add the cabbage, radishes, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.
   To make the crema, stir together the sour cream, the juice from the remaining lime half, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. If the crema seems too thick, you can always thin it with a little milk or additional lime juice. Set it aside.
2. Prepare to fry:
   Line a platter with paper towels to drain the oil from the fish after you fry it.
3. Prepare the fish and breading:
   Zest the lime onto a medium plate. Add the flour, cornmeal, paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Set it aside.
   On another medium plate, add the milk, and juice from half of the lime. The milk will thicken and look slightly curdled.
   Cut the fillets on the bias (a diagonal cut) into strips about 1-inch thick, season them with the juice from the remaining lime half, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Heat the oil:
   In a large Dutch oven, add the oil. Heat it to 360°F. It will take about 15 minutes for the oil to come to temp.
   If you don’t have a thermometer to test the temperature, sprinkle a little of the breading into the oil. If it sizzles and pops, it’s ready.
5. Bread the fish:
   While you’re waiting for the oil to come up to temperature, dip the fish in the milk. Then, coat it in the flour, spice, and cornmeal mixture. Bread all of the fish before you begin to fry it.
6. Fry the fish:
   Once all the fish strips are breaded, gently place them 1 piece at a time in the hot oil. Depending on the size of your Dutch oven, you can probably fry 4 to 6 pieces at a time.
   Fry the fish in batches so you don’t bring down the temperature of the oil too much. Cook on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the coating is a deep amber brown.
   Remove from the oil and drain on the prepared paper towels.
7. Serve for the self-assembly:
   Transfer the fish to a platter, serve alongside tortillas, slaw, and crema. Let everyone assemble their own tacos. Start with a little slaw, add a piece of fish, and drizzle with the crema.