
Pescado a la Veracruzana - Mexican tuna
February 23rd, 2021 | main dishes
In times when we cannot travel due to the corona pandemic, why not bring a holiday feeling on our plate at home! Last weekend we were on a short culinary trip in Mexico, more precisely in Veracruz on the east coast of Mexico. A wonderful tuna fish with a fiery, colorful sauce awaited us and it was as if we were listening to the sounds of marimba and mariachi in the humid, warm evening air… Viva México!
With this recipe from Veracruz you can clearly feel the influences of the Spanish conquistadores of bygone times. “Pescado a la Veracruzana” is the sonorous name of the dish that you don’t necessarily have to prepare with tuna – other types of fish with firm, white meat are also suitable. By the way, prawns and squid are also simply delicious when prepared this way.
For me, Veracruz is a place that I will never forget. Twenty or thirty years ago we had long port stays of several days with container ships – still with the ship‘s own loading gear. So we were able to go ashore and enjoy the lively nightlife to the fullest. A large plaza, surrounded by arcades that housed the various bars and restaurants, attracted the crew and those who were not on watch every evening. You wandered from bar to bar, ate one (red-hot) snack here and another there. Two or three small mariachi and marimba bands played for a few pesos from the guests in front of the arcades in the plaza and also moved from one bar to the next. It was an impressive experience. Also in culinary terms. I had never eaten that spicy before…
Tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tamales – all wonderful little fingerfood. And then the fish and seafood and the famous chicken in mole sauce – a chocolate and chili sauce… But let’s turn to our Pescado a la Veracruzana:
Some say tuna is dry. That’s not true. The only thing that matters is first-class quality and the right preparation. It is important that the tuna fillet is cut into thick slices: it should be two centimeters. Then the fish is seared for about a minute on each side over high heat. My dearest captain and I like to call this type of preparation “kissed by the flame”. After searing the tuna should rest for another five to ten minutes – and the inside is nice and translucent to raw and very juicy. You should ask your fishmonger about the best quality – sashimi quality means the one that you can eat raw (delicious!).
As a side dish to Pescado a la Veracruzana, I would like to recommend roasted corn tortillas, guacamole and Mexican white rice. The Mexican way of preparing rice (recipe at the bottom) is absolutely recommendable, tastes much better than simply boiled rice. Try it out – it’s worth it!
Pescado a la Veracruzana - Mexican tuna with white rice
(4 servings)
White Mexican rice
(4 servings)
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