This is an easy and very traditional recipe from the Mexican state of Veracruz. Veracruz-style fish is a flavorful signature dish of Mexican cuisine. The fish is lightly browned in butter, dipped in tomato sauce with bell peppers, olives and capers, and seasoned with various spices. Then just bake it in the oven and it’s done.
material: Makes 8 servings
- 8 thick fish fillets
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
- 1 kg tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (**see notes)
- 1 bell pepper (vessels and seeds removed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 shrimp soup cube
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Appropriate amount of pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons capers (washed and drained)
- 20 olives
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 6 güero chiles or pickled jalapenos
Preparation: 35 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Add tomatoes and simmer until boiling. Add the tomato puree and peppers and bring to a boil again.
Add shrimp broth, cinnamon, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and oregano. Reduce heat and cook for another 10 minutes.
Add olives and capers and simmer for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning and remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 180℃. Grease a large rectangular baking dish.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to the fish and fry until lightly browned and evenly browned.
Arrange the fish fillets uncovered in a greased baking dish and pour the sauce over them. Spread the chili on top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Recipe: Ofelia Banuelos
http://allrecipes.com.mx/receta/3621/pescado-a-la-veracruzana.aspx
**Note: How to peel tomatoes
Peeling tomatoes is not a common practice in most home kitchens, but it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process. Peel the tomatoes and remove the seeds to remove the bitterness contained in the skin and seeds. The exquisite flavor of the peeled tomatoes makes up for the hassle. This method can also be used to peel peaches and plums.
- Wash the tomatoes thoroughly. Remove the stem, but only enough to separate the stem and the green shell surrounding it.
- Make a shallow X-shaped cut in the bottom of the tomato.
- This will help when peeling.
- Prepare a container filled with water and ice. Fill a pot with water and place it on the stove and bring to a boil. Place the tomatoes in boiling water. It should be removed after 30 seconds or when the shell begins to peel. If you’re peeling multiple tomatoes, be sure to boil enough water.
- As soon as the tomato skin begins to peel or after 30 seconds, remove the tomatoes from the water and place them in a container of water and ice.
- Soak tomatoes in ice water for at least 5 minutes. It is very important that the tomatoes are completely cooled to stop them from starting to cook in the boiling water.
- Once the tomatoes have cooled, remove them from the cold water. The tomatoes are quite firm, but half of the skin is peeled off.
- Start peeling the tomatoes. Pull the skin with your hands.
- If the skin resists, use a small, sharp knife to remove any parts of the skin that you don’t want to crumble, being careful not to squeeze the tomatoes. A perfectly peeled tomato!
How to remove seeds from tomatoes
Here are two options to guide you through the process of removing seeds from one of the most commonly used vegetables in the kitchen.
- Cut the tomatoes (peeled or not) in half crosswise, not top to bottom. Cutting from the top down can expose part of the seed compartment inside the tomato.
- By cutting the tomatoes from side to side, you can keep all of the seed parts intact.
- There are two options for removing the seeds at this point. The first step is to squeeze the tomatoes lightly, but be careful not to use too much force as this may deform the tomatoes and make them difficult to cut.
- The second option is to scrape the seeds from the tomatoes with a small spoon or your fingers. This option will take more time, but the tomatoes will be in much better condition than the juice method.
- When stuffing tomatoes, you can also remove the walls of the compartment with a spoon. To do this, slice a very thin layer from the bottom of the tomatoes so that they don’t fall, turn, or roll when serving.
Tip provided by: Allrecipes
