When you hear the words “Mexican food,” it’s unlikely that fish pops to mind. With nearly 6,000 miles of coastline, though, Mexico is in fact home to delicious fish recipes. Hailing from the coastal state of Veracruz, Pescado a la Veracruzana is, arguably, the country’s iconic fish dish. Traditionally prepared with whole or filleted red snapper, the chunky sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers, pickled chilies, and herbs also works beautifully with almost any thick meaty white fish, such as halibut, pollock, hake, or cod. Some cooks, including me, add cinnamon and cloves for warm, spicy nuance. Another Veracruz classic, the rice dish Arroz a la Tumbada, is akin to a soupy seafood paella, and a ubiquitous seafood soup, Caldo de Mariscos, which is infused deeply with dried red chilies, rounds out our selection.
What a catch
Want really fresh fish? Prepare a Mexican classic
Fish Veracruz Style
(Pescado a la Veracruzana)
Serves 6
2 1/4¼pounds skinned thick white fish fillets
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2½teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 tiny pinch ground cloves
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
plus 3 tablespoons juice
1 cup pitted green olives, sliced
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
In a wide, nonreactive dish, sprinkle fish with lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Turn to coat, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Meanwhile, in a very large skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 12 minutes. Add jalapenos and their juice, olives, and capers, and continue cooking for 5 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, with salt and black pepper.
Nestle fish into sauce, cover, and cook, basting occasionally, until opaque, flaky, and moist, about 13 minutes. Transfer fish to a serving platter. Pour sauce over fish, sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once with lime wedges.
“Thrown Together” Rice with Seafood
(Arroz a la Tumbada)
Serves 6
8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
4 medium jalapeno peppers, stems removed
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups medium-grain rice
1 1/2½quarts seafood stock, heated
3/4 pound cleaned squid, bodies cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings
3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled