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Veracruz-Style Snapper

Traditionally served with roasted small white potatoes (papitas de cambray) or white rice, this dish is a great representation of the European influence on the cuisine of the Gulf of Mexico. Add raisins and a pinch of cinnamon if you want some sweetness to contrast with the savory capers and olives; for a traditional take, garnish the fish with pickled jalapeños. Either way, a crisp white wine makes a lovely accompaniment.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

3

tablespoons olive oil

Four 6-ounce red snapper fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3

/4 cup chopped onion

4

garlic cloves, minced

1

1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with juice

1

Anaheim chile, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips

1

bay leaf

1

teaspoon crumbled dried oregano

1

/2 cup halved pitted green olives

1

/4 cup capers, drained

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Step 2

    Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fish fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook the fillets for 2 minutes per side, or until the fish is opaque and just cooked through. Transfer the fish fillets to a glass baking dish where they can fit snugly.

    Step 3

    Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, Anaheim chile, bay leaf, and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer the sauce for 6 minutes, or until the chiles soften. Uncover the pan, add the olives and capers, and cook for 4 minutes, or until the flavors combine. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

    Step 4

    Pour the sauce over the fish in the baking dish. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Remove the bay leaf. Serve the fillets topped with the sauce.

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