Chances are, if you’ve been to culinary school, you know this one. It’s very simple, some sauteed onions and peppers, some olives, a little wine and tomato, really nothing super fancy. But i have YET to have it made for me properly, the way it’s actually made in Veracruz, Mexico. While I can’t do it over an open flame in side the lab (well I can but my assistants would get scared an quit, I mean really it’s just a flamethrower….), I can get you close to it. the key to this dish is really remembering to under season (yes I said under season) it and get GOOD green olives, not the garbage you get packed in salty chemicals, but the really good Spanish olives with herbs packed in oil. You can’t slack on this dish. This makes about four portions.
- 1 c. vidalia onion, julienne (you know strips)
- 1/2 cup each, julienne read and green pepper
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 16 green olives, packed in oil (quartered)
- 1 whole tomato, diced
- 1/2 c. white wine
- 1/2 c. tomato juice
- 4 each 6 oz snapper filets (or whatever size you want) take the skin off
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp chopped oregano (or marjoram, whichever)
- Set a saute pan on medium heat. Add about 1 tbsp of olive oil, and about 1 tbsp of the oi from the green olives. Let it come to a slight smoke.
- Add your vegetables, all at once. Toss or stir them right away. You just want a quick sweat.
- Add you tomato paste and toss again.
- Now add the wine and your herbs and let this reduce by half.
- Lower the heat to low and add your fish and cover.
- Simmer the fish until it’s done, this can be anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on how thick the cuts are. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch.
It’s fish…IN A PAN!!!!
I like to server this over quinoa or some other funky grain, but the traditional accompaniment for this dish is rice. Black beans and pinto beans go well with this too. You can also use pretty much and firm white fish you like. Using something like sole is a little too delicate for this, but sub in anything you like. I like to add a coupe of jalapenos or Serrano chiles to this too for some heat. Play with it a such as you like, just be careful not to season it too much. there’s going to be a lot of salt coming out of those good olives. Don’t forget to leave a comment.
Happy Eating,
-The Doctor.