Pescado ala veracruzana

I had selected a Pescado Vera Cruz from Crème de Colorado (Junior League of Denver, pg 382), but I changed my mind. The recipe was simple and quick and would be fabulous on a day when you don’t have much time, but this is Friday and I have plenty of time to cook, so I wanted something more complex. And, I don’t cook in a microwave, just reheat or thaw. That's just me.

Here’s the original recipe.

1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 T water
1 pound red snapper or orange roughy fillets
1 cup mild salsa
1 medium tomato, chopped
½ cup sliced olives
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place onion on the bottom of an un-greased microwave dish. Add water and cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until onions are crisp-tender. Place fish fillets on top of onions and cook covered for 4-5 minutes or until fish is done. Drain well. Spoon salsa, tomato and olives over fish. Cook uncovered for 2 minutes or until heated through.

Sounds good, but here are some thoughts on the recipe. Picante sauce is better than salsa for cooking. If you cook the fish completely before adding the salsa, etc, and then cook it more, it might overcook the fish. So, half way through the cooking time, add the sauce, tomatoes and olives, and continue cooking until the fish is done.

Here’s the recipe I actually used:

Pescado ala Veracruzana, internet www.Whats4eats.com

2 pounds white fish, red snapper is traditional
juice of 2 limes
1 tsp sea salt
2 T olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes
1 cup water or stock
1/3 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
3 T chopped parsley
2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano would be best)
1 bay leaf
1 T chopped capers (optional)
2-3 pickled jalapeños, sliced into rounds (optional)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
2-3 whole cloves
salt and pepper to taste*

Marinate the fish in lime juice and salt for 30-60 minutes.

While the fish is marinating, heat the oil over medium –high heat in a large pot or skillet. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute.

Add remaining ingredients except for the fish, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes to meld flavors and reduce the sauce somewhat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the fish and cover with some of the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until fish is cooked through, 8-12 minutes. Serve with rice.
*The capers and olives will make the sauce salty so be careful with additional salt. Let the sauce simmer then add salt at the end.

How I did it:

I didn’t have green olives, so I used Kalamata. I didn’t have capers because I used the last of them last night. I added the remaining optional ingredients (except whole cloves. I forgot them, so I added a bit of ground cloves at the end). I used pickled jalapeños that my sister made and she adds red chiles to them. So, I added a couple of the pickled red chiles (cut the stem off, and chopped).
I washed two bunches of spinach and put them in the bottom of a baking dish (because I like it like that), placed the fish on top and added the sauce. Baked at 350˚ for 20 minutes. I wanted the fish to be whole and I don’t have a skillet large enough to fit the fillets without cutting them.

This was fabulous. I love the sauce! It would be great on beef or chicken or with added shrimp and seafood. It is so flavorful that you really don’t taste the fish, so use any white fish. I wouldn’t use swai because swai is very flavorful and is better used in dishes that you can taste the fish. Its flavor would be lost in this dish. I served it over left-over Mexican rice.