Veracruz Style White Fish
User Reviews
3.6
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
213 kcal
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Cuisine
Mexican
Veracruz Style White Fish
Description
The Veracruz Style White Fish recipe uses medium-sized white fish fillets cooked in a seasoned tomato sauce layered with garlic, thyme, epazote, bay leaves, green olives, and capers. Starting by sautéing onions and garlic and slowly simmering fresh tomatoes creates a thick, flavorful sauce. Adding chicken broth and simmering the olives and capers imparts a salty-tart complexity to the dish. Browning the fish fillets briefly before placing them in the sauce helps the fish develop a slight crust while sealing moisture.
Simmering the fish in the sauce allows it to absorb the bright acidity of tomatoes and the herbal notes, resulting in tender, flaky fillets with a rich, savory sauce. This dish is best served hot, accompanied by neutral sides like rice or crusty bread that can absorb the flavorful sauce. The sauce's herbal and briny components reflect the traditional Veracruz style well.
Adjust seasoning carefully towards the end as the olives and capers contribute saltiness. The layered cooking and inclusion of herbs like epazote distinguish this recipe and give it a characteristic regional flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 4 White fish fillets 4 to 6 ozs. each
- 5 tomato medium
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp. thyme dried
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. epazote
- 1 tsp. salt as necessary
- 6 bay leaf
- 28 green olives
- 12 capers
- 1 cup chicken broth low-sodium
Instructions
- PREPARING THE SAUCE
- Over medium heat, fry the onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons of cooking oil for 4 minutes.
- Add the tomato, black pepper, and salt.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook the sauce for 15 minutes until the tomatoes have given off much of their liquid.
- Then, crush the tomatoes, onion, and garlic with a bean or potato masher.
- Next, add the spices and stir.
- Add the chicken broth.
- Add the chopped olives and capers and stir. Simmer for 15 more minutes.
- COOKING THE FISH
- After the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, start cooking the fish. In a separate pan over medium heat, lightly brown each side of the fish in 3 tablespoons of oil.
- Once you have browned the fish on both sides, place each fish fillet in the simmering sauce.
- Cook for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the fish is fully cooked and has taken on the flavor of the sauce.
- Check the flavor of the sauce and adjust the salt if necessary.
- SERVING
- Serve the fish with white rice. First, put the rice on the plate then place the fish next to the rice. Gently spoon about 1 cup of the sauce over the fish and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 213 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 213kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Sodium | 913mg | 38% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.6
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