Fish Enchilado | Photo © CiberCuba Cocina

Fish Enchilado

Kitchen, Main dish

Preparation Time:

Note:

The Fish Enchilado is a seafood dish that is very common in Cuba. It differs from fish stew in that the latter uses shredded fish and sweet peppers. However, for the enchilado, diced fish and spicy peppers are used, including chiles, or a combination of sweet peppers and hot sauces. In Cuba, it is not common to find chiles of Mexican origin. To make enchilados, Cubans usually use the Cuban hot pepper (Capsicum chinense), also known as habanero, or the small hot pepper, known as ají guaguao. Fish Enchilado is a delicious recipe. If you make it at home, pay attention to the spiciness level. Remember that Cubans typically do not use a lot of this intense flavor in our meals, and it can be overwhelming for some diners.

Ingredients:

500 grams of white fish, clean and cut into cubes
3 small hot peppers (chiles) or chili peppers
2 teaspoons of grated ginger
2 tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
5 leaves of fresh basil
½ teaspoon of dried parsley
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
3 tablespoons of oil
½ cup of tomato sauce
½ red onion
½ green sweet pepper
½ cup of wheat flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Frying oil

Instructions:

Wash and drain the fish. Season it with salt and pepper, and add the lemon juice. Let it marinate in this mixture while you prepare the other ingredients.

Some ingredients for the enchilado / CiberCuba Cocina

Cut the onion and peppers into julienne strips. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. In a mortar, place the garlic, parsley, and basil leaves. Mash them well and set aside.

In a plastic bag or a container with a lid, place the flour and add the fish you had reserved. Seal it well and shake it gently so that the fish gets coated in flour. Remove the excess flour from each piece of fish and fry them for 2 minutes in hot oil. Make sure they brown on all sides. Remove them from the heat, let them drain on paper towels, and set them aside.

Floured and lightly fried fish / CiberCuba Cocina

In a pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over low heat. Add the crushed garlic and basil. Stir to ensure it browns evenly. When the garlic turns golden, add the onion, tomatoes, peppers, and ginger. Stir again and mix the ingredients well. When these ingredients start to release juices, add the tomato sauce.

Fish Enchilado Sauce / CiberCuba Cooking

Some people add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomato, but in this dish, I don’t recommend it because the red onion is very sweet.

Cover the pot and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the lightly fried fish cubes. Cover them with the sauce, but avoid stirring so they don't break. Let them simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them rest covered for about 10 minutes.

Fish in sauce / CiberCuba Kitchen

Serve the fish enchilado with white rice. If you have leftover sauce, don’t throw it away; I recommend spreading it on bread, toast, or crackers.

This dish has an intense yet balanced flavor. To make it perfect, pair it with a cold beer or a white wine.

Fish enchilado with white rice / CiberCuba Kitchen

Enjoy your meal!!

Portions: