A Whole Fish with Mexican Spices
Unlimited access. Half the price.
Ingredients
- 1.1kg (2 1/2lbs) fillets of fish about 2.5cm (1 inch) thick, cut into 6 servings
125ml (4 1/2fl oz) fresh lime juice mixed with 225ml (8fl oz) water
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
12 peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried oregano
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp achiote paste
Salt to taste
4 - 6 tbsp bitter orange juice or substitute (see recipe below)
6 tbsp olive oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
450g (1lb) tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 x-cat-ik chiles, grilled
Banana leaves to cover (optional)
Bitter Orange Substitute
2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated grapefruit rind
65ml (2 1/2fl oz) fresh lime juice
Method
Rinse the fish with the lime juice and water and pat dry. In a coffee or spice grinder, grind together the cumin, peppercorns and oregano.
Crush 2 cloves of the garlic, add the ground spices and achiote paste with salt and mix well. Dilute to spreading consistency with the orange juice.
Spread this on both sides of the fish and set aside to season for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a skillet that will hold the fish on one layer.
Fry the remaining 4 cloves of garlic for about 30 seconds or until golden, remove from the oil and discard. Add the fish and fry for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
Add the onions to the pan and fry for a few seconds – they should not brown - add the tomatoes and fry over fairly high heat for 3 minutes.
Put the fish back into the pan, add the x-cat-ik chiles and cook, covered over a gentle heat for about 15 minutes or until the fish is just tender. I like to set it aside for about 10 minutes before serving to develop flavour.
Bitter Orange Substitute
Mix everything together thoroughly about 1 hour before using. Keep in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, no more than 3 or 4 days.
ieFood
Newsletter
Feast on delicious recipes and eat your way across the island with the best reviews from our award-winning food writers.