Fish breathes new life into the “sandwich” of Mexico and the Southwest, replacing mystery meat with an identifiable fillet of delicate white fish like cod to make fish tacos, a rarity on the East Coast. Instead of frying, as is common in tacquerias, I like to steam the fish in its own juices, which can be done on top of the stove or in a microwave oven (in fact, this is one of the few cooking tasks at which the microwave excels).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 medium onion, roughly chopped

　　1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and roughly chopped

　　1 1/2 pounds cod or other thick white-fleshed fish fillet

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas or eight 12-inch corn or flour tortillas

　　Salsa

　　Hot sauce or chile paste (optional)

　　Sour cream or grated cheese (optional)

　　Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh cilantro sprigs for serving (optional)

　　Lime wedges for serving

　　

Step 1

Put the onion and jalapeño in the bottom of a nonstick skillet (or, if you prefer, a microwave-safe casserole). Add a tablespoon of water and top with the fish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet (or casserole) and put the pan over medium heat (or the casserole in the microwave). Cook for about 6 minutes (3 for the microwave), or until the fish is done.

　　

Step 2

While the fish is cooking, heat the tortillas. You can dry-toast them in a skillet, one at a time; just flip once or twice over medium heat until hot, a minute or so. Or heat them in a microwave: wrap half a dozen in a just slightly damp towel and nuke for about a minute.

　　

Step 3

To serve, put a portion of fish (along with a bit of its onion and jalapeño), salsa, and, if you like, hot sauce, sour cream or cheese, and/or vegetables in a warm tortilla. Squeeze a bit of lime juice over all.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.