Fish fillets with tomatoes capers & olives

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Stephen Ceideburg
1½ pounds Fish fillets *
1 tablespoon Fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon Salt
1½ teaspoon Vegetable oil
1½ teaspoon Olive oil
1 medium Onion, thinly sliced
45 ounces Good-quality tomatoes, lightly drained
2 Cloves garlic, minced
12 Meaty green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons Large Spanish capers
2 mediums Pickled jalapeno chilies, sliced plus:
1 tablespoon Pickling juices
¾ teaspoon Dried marjoram
¾ teaspoon Dried thyme
2 tablespoons Finely chopped parsley **
3 Bay leaves
1 One-inch cinnamon stick
2 Whole cloves
¼ teaspoon Black peppercorns, cracked
Fish broth, bottled clam juice or water salt (opt)

Directions

* like boneless and skinless red snapper or halibut, in 6 1½-inch thick piece. ** plus a few sprigs for garnish Rinse fillets, place them in a non aluminum dish and sprinkle them with lime juice and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oils over medium heat, add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Cut tomatoes into 1 inch pieces and place them in a bowl, collecting the juices as you go.

Add garlic to onion and cook for a minute or so, then add tomatoes.

Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Divide olives and capers between two small bowls and set one aside to use for garnishes. To the other bowl, add jalapenos, pickling juice, marjoram, thyme and chopped parsley. If you don't want bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and pepper in the finished sauce, wrap them in cheesecloth and tie with a string, otherwise add them directly to the olive mixture.

Add the olive-herb mixture to the tomatoes, along with fish stock, clam ice or water. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, then taste, adding salt if necessary. Remove the cheesecloth bag, if using, and the bay leaves.

Remove fillets from marinade and rinse. To cook on the stovetop, place them in the skillet, covering them well with sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Turn the fillets over, cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, until they flake when pressed firmly with a fork at the thickest part.

Alternatively, to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the fillets in a single layer in a lightly oiled baking dish. Spoon the sauce over them, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or just until the fish flakes when pressed firmly with a fork at the thickest part. Serve garnished with reserved olives, capers and parsley.

185 CALORIES PER SERVING: 25 G PROTEIN, 5 G FAT, 10 G CARBO- HYDRATE; 249 MG SODIUM; 41 MG CHOLESTEROL.

From Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico by Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless (William Morrow & Company, 1987).

Posted by Stephen Ceideburg

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