Title: Red Snapper with Achiote Paste
Categories: Seafood Sauce Bbq
Yield: 4 Servings
| LARRY LUTTROPP FVKC70A |
| L.A.TIMES FOOD SECTION 10/94 |
| 1 | c | Annato Paste |
| 2 | | (1 lb) fillets red snapper |
| | | OR other firm-fleshed fish, |
| | | Skin on |
| CITRUS-HABANERO SAUCE |
| 1/2 | c | Orange juice, fresh squeezed |
| 1/2 | c | Lime juice, fresh squeezed |
| 1/2 | c | Water |
| 1/3 | c | Onion; chopped |
| 1 | | Habanero chile; veins & seeds removed, slivered |
| 1/4 | c | Cilantro; chopped |
| | | Salt |
| 3 | tb | Oil, optional |
| ACHIOTE PASTE |
| 1 | c | Annatto (achiote) seeds |
| 10 | lg | Cloves garlic |
| 1/3 | c | Quintana Roo oregano, OR |
| | | Mexican oregano |
| 5 | tb | Peppercorns |
| 4 | ts | Ground cumin |
| 4 | ts | Coriander seeds |
| 10 | | Whole allspice berries |
| 1 1/4 | c | White vinegar, OR equal combination OF |
| | | Fresh orange juice |
| | | Fresh lime juice |
"RED SNAPPER WITH ACHIOTE PASTE (HUACHINANGO CON RECADO DE ADOBO
COLORADO)"
Spread Annato (Achiote) Paste on both sides of fish, covering well.
Place fish in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.
In mixing bowl combine orange juice, lime juice, water, onion,
habanero, cilantro and salt to taste.
Barbeque fish over hot coals, skin-side down, until seared, 2 minutes.
Or heat 3 tablespoons oil in skillet large enough to acocommodate fish
until very hot, then place fish in pan, skin-side down, and fry until
seared, 2 minutes. Place seared fish in 1-inch deep baking dish and pour
citrus-habanero sauce over. Bake until fish is firm to touch and thoroughly
cooked, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
ACHIOTE PASTE (RECADO DE ADOBO COLORADO): Combine annatto, garlic,
oregano, peppercorns, cumin, coriander, allspice and vinegar or juice
mixture in blender or food processor. Process with on/off motion until
thoroughly pureed. Add more orange juice or vinegar to give smooth paste
consistency.
Keeps indefinitely, if made with vinegar, or up to 3 weeks if made with
citrus juices. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Each serving contains about: 274 calories; 203 mg sodium; 67 mg
cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 40 grams protein;
1.86 grams fiber.
Presented by: Zarella Martinez, L.A. Times article, "Home Ground",
10/6/94, page H16. "The ricado used in this dish is the basis for many
Yucatan peninsula dishes. The most famous is cochinita pibil; a suckling
pig, marinated with this spice paste and wrapped in banana leaves, baked in
a Mayan earth oven called a pib. Large fish and venison or other wild game
are also baked in pibs. I slather this paste on guinea hens and broil them
on the rotisserie, or wrap marinated chicken breasts or fish fillets in
banana leaves with slices of orange and steam the packets. One of my
favorite appetizers is chicken drummettes baked with this recado.
"... Quintana Roo oregano comes from a tree, not a shrub, and the long
leaves turn black when they dry. Mexican oregano can be substituted for
it."