Recently we had a group of friends over for dinner and I was presented with a challenge: what to make for dinner. Normally this is an opportunity for me to make something new, to peruse through my collection of recipes (oh how I sound like my mother…) and figure out what I wanted to try but this dinner party posed a bit of a challenge. One of the women is a vegetarian, the other is gluten intolerant, or as we like to say, she’s a glutard.

I mulled it over, wondering what to make that would satisfy both of these rather restrictive diets while still appealing to everyone else. Then I stumbled upon a discovery – the vegetarian was actually a pescetarian, meaning she eats fish. With this discovery the menu was set – I was going to make fish tacos, a meal I love but have never made before.

I gathered all the required supplies, cod and gluten-free flour, tomatoes and lettuce, corn and flour tortillas. I also decided to make black bean and corn salsa to pair with the fish tacos.

Our friends arrived, beer bottles and wine bottles were opened and poured, laughter rang out as we talked and soon it was time to eat. And it tasted so damn good. We wolfed down our meal, going back for seconds and filling our bellies. We topped the fish tacos with lettuce and tomatoes, the salsa I’d made and the zesty sauce I’d whipped up with the tacos. Dinner was a hit, the glutard, the pescetarian, and the other “normal” eaters were all happy and satisfied.

After dinner we broke into a rousing game of Cash N Guns – if you’ve never played this game you need to. It’s fun, easy, and so entertaining. I highly recommend it the next time there’s six friends sitting around wondering what to do. And the game pairs wonderfully with fish tacos, should you be so inclined to replicate the entire evening.

Fish Tacos

•  1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup beer

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon minced capers
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

• 1 quart oil for frying
• 1 pound cod fillets, cut into 2-3 oz portions
• 1 package corn or flour tortillas
• cabbage or lettuce, shredded

To make beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture (don’t worry about a few lumps).

To make the white sauce: Mix together yogurt and mayo. Stir in lime juice, capers, and seasonings.

Heat oil in pan until hot. Dust fish pieces with flour and then dip into beer batter. Fry until crisp and golden brown. Serve immediately. (Recipe from AllRecipes.)

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

• 1 can yellow corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch green onions, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• juice from one lime
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• cumin

Gently mix together in a large bowl, adding the avocado last. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a day so the flavors can come together a bit. Great with chips or on top of fish tacos! (Recipe adapted from Six Sisters’ Stuff.)