Pescado Agridulce (Mexican Halibut)
I watched Pati Jinich do this on on Create TV on one of our rare rainy wintery nights recently as I was contemplating what to cook for Cinco de Mayo this year. This one really sounded intriguing to me. Naturally, I changed up the ingredients and process a bit but I live in hope that Patti would approve.
Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh local Halibut fillets with skin on cut into 6 portions
3 tablespoons Olive oil divided
1 cup white onion chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons capers
1 lb Roma tomatoes diced
1 lb tomatillos, husked, rinsed and diced
1 tsp brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 cloves finely grated garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice
1/4 cup sliced Manzanilla olives stuff with pimentos
2 Serrano peppers, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted
1 tablespoon Key Lime Juice
Kosher salt and Coarse Ground Pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion garlic and Serrano peppers and cook until onions are clear.
- Incorporate the tomatoes, tomatios and sprinkle in the salt, sugar, allspice, and cinnamon. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
- Incorporate the almonds, capers and olives and continue cooking for another 7 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Season fish to taste. Heat the remaining oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and key lime juice. Once hot, add the fish skin side down and cook for one to two minutes, basting the fish with a spoon until the skin begins to brown.
- Place the cooked fish in a casserole, cover with chunky sauce and place in oven. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Place fish on a bed of yellow rice and drape chunky sauce over it. Arrrrrrriiiiiba! (Oh Baby in Spanish, I think!)