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Mexican: Pescado a la Veracruzana

Source of Recipe


From "Authentic Mexican" by Rick Bayless






List of Ingredients



• 1-1/2 lbs. fish fillets, such as snapper or halibut, about 1/2-inch thick
  
• Juice of 1 lime
  
• 1/8 tsp salt
  
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  
• 3 cans (15 ounces each) tomatoes, drained
  
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  
• 20 green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
  
• 2 Tbsp large capers
  
• 2 medium pickled jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and sliced into strips
  
• 1 Tbsp pickling juice from the jalapeño peppers
  
• 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
  
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
  
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
  
• 3 bay leaves
  
• One 1-inch cinnamon stick
  
• 2 whole cloves
  
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns, very coarsely ground
  
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
  






Instructions



1. Cut the fish into 4 pieces. Rinse the fish, place in a glass dish, and sprinkle with the lime juice and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
   
   
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat; add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes.
   
   
3. Coarsely chop the tomatoes into 1-inch pieces, saving the juices that collect around the tomatoes.
   
   
4. Add the garlic to the onions; add the tomatoes and juice, simmering for 5 minutes.
   
   
5. Combine the olives and capers; divide between 2 bowls, saving one bowl for garnish. To the other bowl, add the jalapeño peppers, pickling juice, thyme, oregano and parsley. Place the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth and tie with a piece of string. Add the pickled ingredients and the spice bag to the tomatoes with the clam juice. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove the spice bag.
   
   
6. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Place in a lightly greased baking dish and cover with the sauce.
   
   
7. Bake in a preheated 450º F oven for 13 minutes per inch of thickness, or until the fish is no longer translucent. Garnish with the remaining olives and capers.
   
   Makes 4 servings.