Dive into the vibrant and flavorful world of Mexican cuisine with our stunning Fish Veracruz recipe! This dish features tender fish fillets simmered in a savory sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers, and spices, creating a delightful blend of tangy, salty, and slightly spicy flavors. The Veracruz sauce is what truly makes this dish shine, infusing the fish with a rich and aromatic taste that’s both comforting and exotic. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion, this recipe is sure to transport your taste buds straight to the coastal regions of Mexico.
What sets our Fish Veracruz recipe apart is its combination of simplicity and sophistication. Despite the complex flavors, it’s incredibly easy to prepare, requiring just a handful of fresh ingredients and minimal cooking time. The end result is a beautifully plated dish that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. Serve it with a side of steamed rice or warm tortillas to soak up the delicious sauce, and you’ll have a meal that’s both healthy and satisfying.
Ingredients:
- 4 pieces of fish (snapper, salmon, halibut or swordfish all work great)
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 large cloves of garlic minced
- 3 medium tomatoes diced
- 1 serrano chili minced
- 1/2 c pitted green olives sliced in half
- 1/3 c capers in brine drained
- 1/2 tsp mexican oregano
- 1/4 tsp marjoram
- 1 california bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (halve if using table salt)
- 2 tbs cilantro minced
- Lime wedges
Instructions:
1 – For the Veracruz sauce, fry the onions and garlic in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes, chili, olives, capers, oregano, marjoram and bay leaf. Cook over medium high heat for about 20 minutes to reduce the amount of liquid and concentrate the flavours. Taste it and add salt as needed (about 1/2 tsp of kosher salt should do it).
3 – To get the fish crisp and brown on the outside, you need to get the surface very dry, use paper towels and try to get as much moisture off the surface as possible. Start heating a cast iron pan over medium high heat.
4 – When the pan is very hot, lightly salt and pepper both sides of the fish. Add a splash of oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Put the fish into the pan and do not touch until it starts turning brown around the edges and no longer sticks to the pan. Gently flip and brown the other side. If you’re cooking thicker cuts of fish, the center should read 125 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
5 – When it’s cooked, plate the fish. Stir the minced cilantro into the sauce. Cover the the fish with the Veracruz sauce and garnish with some spare cilantro leaves and a wedge of lime.
