Food and Recipes Recipes Mini Tacos with Fried Oysters, Pimiento Cheese, and Fennel Slaw Be the first to rate & review! The best parts of a Southern tailgate—crispy fried oysters dredged in cornmeal, pimiento cheese dressed up with chipotle chiles and adobo sauce, an arresting and crunchy slaw—team up in these grab-and-go mini tacos. Keep a cold beer on hand for washing down every cheesy, crispy bite. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on June 25, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photographer Jennifer Causey, Prop Stylist Lindsey Lower, Food Stylist Torie Cox Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 16 serves Ingredients CHIPOTLE PIMIENTO CHEESE 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, diced 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce 2 tablespoons diced pimientos, drained 1/4 teaspoon table salt FENNEL SLAW 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup) cup 1/4 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime) 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 1/8 teaspoon table salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper CORNMEAL-CRUSTED FRIED OYSTERS 2 cups (about 11½ oz.) finely ground yellow cornmeal 1 cup (about 4¼ oz.) all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon table salt 1 teaspoon black pepper Canola oil 2 (8-oz.) containers fresh shucked oysters, well drained (about 48 oysters) ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS 16 (4½-in.) corn tortillas Lime wedges Hot sauce Directions Prepare the Chipotle Pimiento Cheese: Combine cheese and mayonnaise in a food processor. Process until blended. Add chile, adobo sauce, pimientos, and salt; pulse to combine. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Makes 1¾ cups. Prepare the Fennel Slaw: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 4 cups. Prepare the Conrmeal-Crusted Fried Oysters: Whisk together cornmeal, flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven; heat over medium-high to 350°F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Working in batches of about 8 oysters, dredge each oyster in cornmeal mixture. Carefully place dredged oysters in hot oil. Fry, turning often, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on wire rack. Repeat with remaining oysters. Serve immediately. Makes about 48 oysters. Prepare the tacos: Heat tortillas according to package directions. Spread 1½ tablespoons pimiento cheese on each tortilla. Top with 2 to 3 fried oysters and desired amount of slaw. Serve tacos with lime wedges and hot sauce. Rate it Print