Pescado a la Veracruzana
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Country of Origin
Mexico (Veracruz)
Description
Pescado a la Veracruzana demonstrates the historic fusion of Indigenous Mexican and Mediterranean culinary traditions in coastal Veracruz. Flaky white fish fillets are poached gently in a bright tomato sauce loaded with green olives, capers, garlic, onions, and pickled jalapeños.
Presentation & How It's Eaten
Served warm on individual plates with the colorful tomato-olive sauce spooned over top. Typically accompanied by white rice and fried sweet plantains (plátanos machos).
Ingredients
4 white fish fillets (approx. 180g / 6 oz each: snapper, sea bass, or cod)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup green olives (stuffed with pimentos), halved
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
3 pickled güero or jalapeño chilies, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp lime juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Step-by-Step Directions
Season Fish: Pat fish fillets dry, drizzle with lime juice, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and garlic; sauté for 3 minutes until soft.
Make Sauce: Add chopped tomatoes, green olives, capers, pickled chilies, oregano, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes until tomatoes break down into a thick sauce. Season with salt.
Poach Fish: Nestled seasoned white fish fillets down into bubbling tomato sauce. Spoon sauce over top of fillets.
Simmer & Serve: Cover skillet with a lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove bay leaves and serve hot with white rice.
Optional
Whole Fish: Use a whole, scaled red snapper (cut with diagonal slashes) roasted inside the sauce for a festive centerpiece.
Cooking Tips
Balance Salty Capers: Capers and olives carry high sodium; taste sauce before adding extra salt.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving, based on a 4-serving breakdown)
Calories: ~290 kcal
Total Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 65mg
Sodium: 620mg
Total Carbohydrates: 12g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 34g
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