Ecuadorian Tuna Fish Fanesca for Lent and Easter (Fanesca de Atún)

• 2 tuna fish about 500 grams, add more if desired, large cans
• 3-4 tbs of oil use oil from tuna fish can if using tuna fish in oil
• 1 tsp achiote also called annatto powder - can replace with sweet paprika (not spicy, not smoked
• 1 cup white onion from about ½ medium white onion, diced
• 1 cup red onion from about ½ medium red onion, diced
• 3-4 garlic crushed, cloves
• 1-2 tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 tsp oregano dry
• ¼ to ½ tsp black pepper ground
• 800 grams sambo zucchini, about 3 medium sized zucchini - peeled and diced, or fresh squash
• 4 cups water 4 cups = 1 ltr, add more if needed, or vegetable broth
• 2 ¾ cups milk add more if needed
• 2 tbs peanut butter
• 2 cups white bean rinsed and drained, canned
• 2 cups pinto bean rinsed and drained, canned, or red bean
• ½ cup fava bean can use fresh or frozen - replace with lima beans or additional green beans if you can’t find fava beans, cooked and twice peeled
• 1 cup green beans cut into bite size pieces and cooked
• 1 cup corn can use fresh, canned or frozen corn, cooked
• 1 cup green peas fresh, canned or frozen, cooked
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup queso fresco crumbled - can also use feta cheese as a substitute
• 1-2 tbsp cilantro chopped, or parsley
• salt to taste

Garnishes (pick and choose as many as you want):

• tuna fish crispy fried
• egg hardboiled, sliced
• plantains fried, ripe
• cheese empanada Ecuadorian fried style (Empanadas de viento
• aji criollo hot sauce or hot peppers slices
• heart of palm see quick recipe in Notes below, in curtido salad
• onion see quick recipe in Notes below, in curtido salad
• queso fresco diced, crumbled or sliced, aka feta; or quesillo (fresh mozzarella
• avocado sliced or diced
• smoked salmon