HOOKED ON FISH TACOS FOLDED FAVES MAKE BIG SPLASH WITH A SEA OF OPTIONS.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Move over, beef and chicken - fish tacos are making a splash on menus these days. If you aren't hooked already, now is a good time to discover this trendy taco variation. There are plenty of options at quick-service Mexican food stands and restaurants in the Valley and beyond to explore - or you can try your hand at making them at home.

The humble fish creation seems to have originated more than 25 years ago in San Felipe, a Mexican town on the Gulf of California, where fresh fish was plentiful and the locals wrapped it up inside their tortillas. And then surfers and college partiers found them at stands along the beach in south-of-the-border towns when looking for something cheap and satisfying to eat.

It wasn't long before entrepreneurs capitalized on the idea, brought it over the border and added their own style. Rubio's - Home of the Fish Taco (opened in San Diego's Mission Bay in 1983 after Ralph Rubio discovered the fish taco while on a college spring break in San Felipe) has to date sold more than 38 million fish tacos and is now known as Rubio's Baja Grill.

The company's signature Baja-style fish taco combines beer-batter fried fish (pollack) fillets in warm corn tortillas with mild salsa, tangy white sauce and shredded green cabbage. But today Rubio's also offers grilled fish tacos, sauteed shrimp tacos and fish tacos dressed up with a variety of toppings at its 95 outlets sprinkled throughout the western states (13 in Los Angeles county).

Depending on where you order them, fish tacos are cooked and styled in a variety of ways.

The creations are built around numerous varieties of fish, ranging from cod and pollack to red snapper, ahi tuna, mahi mahi, shrimp, lobster, salmon, swordfish, halibut and more. While some versions feature batter- fried fish chunks, the fish in others is grilled or charbroiled or even sauteed.

Most often, the fish appears tucked into corn rather than flour tortillas - either a single thick one or two thinner ones - ranging from 3 to 8 inches in diameter. But be forewarned - some tortillas taste better than others. In some instances, the earthy flavor of the tortillas (which can be rubbery) overpowers the fish; in others, it blends deliciously with the ingredients. Some upscale restaurants even use handmade blue or white corn tortillas.

The tacos come sauced and topped in a variety of ways: some with white sauce and a blanket of red sauce; others with fresh pico de gallo (a mixture of chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro); some even with fruit salsas. Depending on where you eat them, you might find shredded lettuce or cabbage, lots of chopped cilantro and even a wedge of lime.

Some come plain (diners are expected to dress them to taste with toppings and salsas, from mild to explosive), while others are pre-assembled with everything.

It was evident in a recent tasting at stands and restaurants that there are many variations on the theme.

At the 7-year-old quick-service Bronco in Sherman Oaks, white fish (pollack) and shrimp tacos, which were added to the menu about 8 months ago, are only available coated with batter and fried crisp in vegetable oil. ``They're now as popular as beef and chicken tacos,'' notes owner Jose Santos. But the shrimp outsells the white fish version, both of which are assembled and presented in doubled fresh corn tortillas, topped with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and onions, then smothered under a layer of sour cream-based dressing-like white sauce and a layer of special red sauce (with tomato, garlic and chiles). At $1.25 (white fish) and $1.75 (shrimp), they're a bargain.

``The secret to making a good fish taco depends on the quality of the fish and the process (how it is prepared),'' says Santos. He cuts the fresh fish into same-size pieces - about 3 inches long and 3/4-inch wide - and, prior to frying, coats them with a batter made of flour, beer, egg and fish seasonings. Each taco comes with one large fish piece or, in the case of shrimp, one large batter-coated shrimp, which has been cut into two or three pieces.

Poquito Mas, which specializes in fresh, healthy, Mexican cuisine, has been making shrimp tacos since it opened in Studio City in 1984 (locations now also in North Hollywood, Burbank and West Los Angeles), notes Kevin McCarney, founder-owner. McCarney said they came about as the result of a conversation with a woman who owned a taco stand in San Felipe about 15 or 16 years ago. When he asked if she'd make shrimp tacos without breading, she immediately whipped up something and asked him if that was what he had in mind. It was - and that was the impetus for his business.

At Poquito Mas, medium-size shrimp are broiled, then put in a light tomato-based sauce (ranchera) and sauteed quickly. For best results, use good-quality shrimp, advises McCarney. The wonderful smoky flavor comes from the flame broiling. The shrimp are then placed in doubled fresh corn tortillas (warmed on the grill about 20 to 30 seconds per side) to keep the taco from falling apart when you eat it. Chopped onions and fresh cilantro and a piece of lime top it off. Customers can then do their own thing and add their choice of eight different salsas from the salsa bar. ``Chapina salsa (cooked tomatoes, onions and celery) is my favorite sauce for shrimp,'' adds McCarney.

Grilled ahi tacos were introduced at Poquito Mas about four years ago as another fresh, upscale presentation. The fish is grilled and presented atop a single mini 3-inch flour tortilla. Two come with a combination plate - or you can order them a la carte. The delicious roasted bell pepper-sour cream sauce, served alongside, elevates them a notch above some others. The secret to cooking the ahi, says McCarney, is to remove it from the broiler when it is about 90 percent cooked because it will continue to cook. Some customers prefer ordering it seared - not cooked through. ``We don't do batter-fried tacos,'' explains McCarney, adding that ``our concept is clean and good-for-you food. A batter-fried fish taco is tough to eat two or three times a week.'' Ahi and shrimp tacos are about equal in sales and popularity with steak and chicken tacos in all locations except North Hollywood, where fewer fish tacos are consumed, adds McCarney.

Fish tacos can be made successfully at home, says McCarney. ``Ahi is one of the best fish for flavor and consistency.'' It maintains its flavor without being overpowering and is better for Mexican food with tortillas than sea bass or snapper, for instance.

Carrillo's in Canoga Park (other locations in San Fernando and Simi Valley are owned by different family members) has been serving batter- coated fried cod (white fish) tacos for two years and grilled shrimp tacos for the last six months, says owner Larry Luna.

Both utilize a single, thick 7 1/2-inch corn tortilla, hot off the grill, handmade daily on the premises. ``Thick corn tortillas hold up better and are less likely to get soggy when salsa and other toppings are added.'' The tacos are topped with finely chopped lettuce (which is more popular than cabbage) and pico de gallo (chopped tomatoes, onion, cilantro), making for an attractive presentation. The white fish taco comes with sour cream mixed with a little lemon juice - and assorted salsas are included with all orders.

``My wife likes to make fish tacos at home,'' notes Luna. For best results, ``Don't let the batter sit too long - or it won't stick to the fish.''

When you want to give fish tacos a whirl at home, pick and choose from the array of recipes that follow - and adapt them to suit yourself. Once you get the knack, you may turn them out often for family and friends.

GRILLED-FISH TACOS WITH GREEN SALSA

3 1/2 cups finely shredded red OR green cabbage

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

Water

Salt and pepper 

3/4 pound fresh tomatillos

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion (about 6 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 1/2 pounds firm-fleshed skinned fish fillets, such as Chilean sea bass

3 OR 4 jalapeno chiles (2 to 3 ounces total)

2 teaspoons lime juice

3/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

1 clove garlic

1 dozen (6- OR 7-inch) warm corn OR low-fat flour tortillas

Low-fat sour cream

Lime wedges

Mix cabbage with vinegar and 3 tablespoons water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill.

Remove and discard husks from tomatillos; rinse tomatillos. Thread onto skewers. Brush some of oil lightly onto onion slices. Rinse fish and pat dry. Brush fish with remaining oil.

Place tomatillos, onions and chiles on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals or over high heat on a gas barbecue (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds). Cook, turning as needed, until vegetables are browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place fish on grill over medium-hot coals or gas heat (you can hold your hand at grill level only 3 to 4 seconds). Cook, turning once, until fish is opaque but still moist-looking in thickest part (cut to test), 10 to 14 minutes.

Remove stems from chiles; remove seeds (if you want less heat). In a blender or food processor, whirl tomatillos, chiles, lime juice, 1/4 cup cilantro and garlic until smooth.

Chop onion. Add chopped onion to salsa mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a small bowl.

To assemble each taco, fill a tortilla with a little cabbage relish, a few chunks of fish, salsa and sour cream. Add a squeeze of lime, and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 12 tacos, about 4 servings.

From ``Sunset Recipe Annual, 1997 Edition,'' by the Editors of Sunset Magazine and Sunset Books, Sunset Books, Inc.

BAJA FISH TACOS

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning mix

4 (about 1 pound total) cod OR other firm white fish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

5 cups (about 1/4 head) shredded red cabbage

1 1/2 cups (about 1 large) diced tomato

Chopped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro and 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix in small bowl.

Combine cod, oil, lime juice and remaining taco seasoning mix in large, nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes or until cod flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Spread sour cream mixture over center of tortillas. Top with cabbage, cod mixture, tomato, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Makes 6 servings.

SOFT CRAB TACOS WITH LIME-PINEAPPLE SALSA

Sweet fresh crab, heated briefly in a chile-tomato sauce, and spoonfuls of Lime-Pineapple Salsa make a marvelous filling for warm corn tortillas.

!Lime-Pineapple Salsa

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced OR pressed

1 large firm-ripe tomato (about 8 ounces) chopped

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Water

1 pound flaked cooked crabmeat 

Salt

Prepare Lime-Pineapple Salsa and set aside.

Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onion begins to brown. Add tomato and chiles; cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato is soft (8 to 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, brush tortillas lightly with hot water; then stack, wrap in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven until warm (10 to 15 minutes).

Remove tomato mixture from heat, blend in crab and season to taste with salt. To eat, spoon about 1/3 cup crab filling onto a tortilla; add pineapple salsa to taste. Fold tortilla to enclose filling and eat out of hand. Makes 6 servings.

LIME-PINEAPPLE SALSA: In a medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup chopped cucumber, 1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and minced, 1 cup diced fresh OR canned pineapple, 1 teaspoon grated lime peel, 3 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons minced cilantro.

From ``Sunset Kitchen Cabinet,'' by the Editors of Sunset Books, Sunset Publishing Corporation.

GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS WITH RADICCHIO AND AVOCADO SALSA

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 (8-inch) flour tortillas

12 small radicchio leaves

3/4 cup Avocado Salsa (Recipe follows)

6 wedges lime

Combine olive oil with garlic and marinate shrimp 1 hour prior to grilling. When ready to cook, season shrimp with salt and pepper, and grill approximately 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side, until center of shrimp is still barely opaque.

Warm tortillas on grill; remove to a cutting board and cut in half. Fold one edge of tortilla half toward the center, twisting that edge inside and toward the rounded top, and roll so you have a cone-shaped tortilla.

Put 1 radicchio leaf, 1 tablespoon Avocado Salsa and 1 shrimp in each cone and place, seam down, on a plate. Continue until all tacos are complete. Serve with wedges of lime. Makes 6 servings.

From ``Pacifica Blue Plates,'' by Neil Stuart, Ten Speed Press.

AVOCADO SALSA

2 medium avocados, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 cup seeded and diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons diced red onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon seeded and minced jalapeno pepper

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine and gently mix all ingredients in a bowl. Salsa is best when used same day prepared. Makes 3 cups.

BAJA FISH TACOS

Making a taco is no different than building a sandwich: pick your bread, be it flour or corn tortillas, decide upon a filling and then choose a suitable salsa.

This recipe is a reasonable facsimile of the fish tacos tasted in Ensenada. For a variation, try grilling the fish on your barbecue. Although the recipe specifies sea bass, any firm, white-fleshed fish will do, as well as shark or swordfish. Don't fail to give the fish a squeeze of fresh lime.

BEER BATTER:

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tablespoons paprika 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 cup beer, cold

TACOS:

Oil for frying

3/4 pound sea bass fillet 

1/2 cup flour

1 cup shredded green cabbage

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

1/2 cup Cilantro Mayo (Recipe follows)

1/2 cup Fresh Tomato Salsa (Recipe follows)

8 wedges lime

To make batter, sift all dry batter ingredients into a small bowl and whisk in beer gradually until batter is smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

For Tacos, in a heavy skillet, heat 2 inches oil to 350 degrees F. Cut sea bass into 8 strips, dredge in flour, cover completely with beer batter and place carefully in hot oil, frying on both sides until golden brown. Remove and drain excess oil on paper towels.

To assemble tacos, place equal amounts of cabbage down center of each warm tortilla; then, put a tablespoon of Cilantro Mayo, a strip of fried sea bass, and, finally, a tablespoon of Fresh Tomato Salsa. Serve with lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Pacifica Blue Plates,'' by Neil Stuart, Ten Speed Press.

CILANTRO MAYO

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 bunches fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup peanut oil

Combine all ingredients except peanut oil in a blender or food processor. Begin to process and add oil in a steady stream until completely incorporated. Keeps refrigerated 2 weeks. Makes 2 cups.

FRESH TOMATO SALSA

There's just no reason to eat store-bought tomato salsa anymore. Whether you call this ``salsa cruda,'' ``salsa fresca,'' or whatever else, when you use vine ripe tomatoes and serve it with a basket of fresh, hot tortillas, nothing comes close to being this good. You can spice the recipe up or down, as desired. If you can't find tomatillos, you can eliminate them from the recipe.

2 cups diced tomatoes

1/2 cup diced tomatillos

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Allow salsa to set 1 hour before serving so flavors develop. Serve at room temperature. Makes 3 cups.

Fishing for faves

If you have a favorite place for fish tacos that was not included in our tasting (on page 1), send it along to us. We'll share it with readers in a future food section. Tell us what kind of fish tacos you order and why you like them. Include the name, address and phone number of the establishment along with your name and phone number. Send to Fish Tacos, Food Department, Los Angeles Daily News, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, Calif. 91365-4200.

Gettin' fishy with it at home

If you want to make a splash with fish tacos at home, here are some tips for getting them on the table fast.

--Do preliminary preparations before starting to cook the fish and have ingredients organized assembly-line style. That means the batter should be prepared if deep frying, fish cut into pieces, oil in pot and tortillas wrapped in foil and ready to warm in oven or toaster oven.

--Choose a mild, firm-fleshed fish such as halibut or cod that will hold up well. It's also possible to use mahi mahi, red snapper or ahi tuna. Liven up, but don't overpower the batter (if using) with seasonings such as garlic, ground cumin and chili powder.

--When deep-frying, use a bland oil such as canola or vegetable oil, and be sure it is heated to 375 degrees to avoid ending up with soggy fish. Also, cook only a few batter-coated fish pieces at time (don't overcrowd the pan); when golden, drain on paper towels.

--If you plan to grill the fish, for best results, cook in large pieces and cut into smaller pieces after cooking. Large shrimp are the easiest to manage. Saute in a little butter and oil over high heat - or grill in a foil pan (with holes poked in bottom). The foil pan will keep the shrimp from falling through the grid. You can also broil the shrimp indoors.

--Use thick, fresh corn tortillas, if available. Otherwise you'll have to double the tortillas so diners can manage the tacos without having them falling apart. Although a few quick-service food places use flour tortillas, corn are preferred.

--Feel free to dress the tacos with any kind of salsa (store-bought or homemade) desired. If making pico de gallo (or whatever other sauce you decide to use) from scratch, whip it up before starting to cook the fish.

--If you plan to dress the tacos with a white sauce, whip up one with sour cream and a little lemon juice - or combine a mixture of mayonnaise and plain yogurt with a few seasonings. A mild store-bought bottled ranch-type dressing or sour cream dip could suffice if time is short.

--Have finely shredded lettuce or cabbage (and finely chopped fresh cilantro) ready to sprinkle on the tacos.

--To heighten the flavor of the fish, offer cut-up lemon or lime wedges so diners can add a squeeze, if desired.

--Guacamole and shredded cheeses are optional. If you plan to offer them, remember you can shortcut the work by using prepared guacamole from the market and preshredded cheeses in a variety of flavors and combinations.

--Assemble tacos while fish and tortillas are hot - and eat as soon as possible to avoid ending up with soggy tacos.

--For speed in assembly, you can tuck the fish (atop a little sauce, if desired) in the tortillas and ask diners to top as desired. Or you can assemble the tacos - with everything - and simply pass the hot sauce. There seem to be no hard-and-fast rules about the order of layering the sauces and greens atop the fish, but keep in mind the finished tacos should be appealing to the eye. In recent taco-sampling travels, we found the best and most attractive-looking ones topped with pico de gallo, chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro, and colorful sauces.

--Keep in mind that tacos lend themselves to serving both buffet and sit-down style. For side dishes to accompany the tacos, offer black or refried beans and Mexican-style rice (cooked with some tomatoes, ground cumin and ground chili powder or diced green chiles).

- Natalie Haughton

CAPTION(S):

photo, drawing, 2 boxes

Photo: There are numerous takes on the fish taco theme and they can be found at quick-service food stands as well as soon on more trendy restaurant menus.

Drawing: Fishes

Jorge Irribarren/Staff Artist

Box: (1) Fishing for faves (see text)

(2) Gettin fishy with it at home (see text)