Spanish for “pregnant fish,” pescado embarazado is a mishearing of this dish’s precise identify, pescado en vara asado, or grilled fish on a stick. It’s some of the standard dishes to eat on the seaside in Nayarit, Mexico. On this model tailored from chef Esther Sanchez, the marinade is made with achiote paste, citrus, tomato, and cumin. Reserve a number of the flavorful sauce and serve it on the aspect as a zesty condiment.
Featured in: “This Fish on a Stick May Be the Finest Seaside Snack in Mexico.”
Grilled Fish Skewers (Pescado Embarazado)
Some of the standard seaside meals alongside the coast of Nayarit, Mexico, this grilled fish on a stick is marinated with a vivid mixture of achiote paste, orange, and tomato.
Yield: serves 4
Time:
50 minutes
Elements
- 1¾ cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1¼ cups canned tomato purée
- ½ cup achiote paste
- 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped (2 Tbsp.)
- 2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1½ tsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1½ tsp. finely chopped recent rosemary
- 1½ tsp. finely chopped recent thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper
- 4 1-lb. complete mackerel or branzino, gutted and cleaned (or substitute 2½ lb. dogfish or mahi mahi fillets, minimize into 2-inch cubes)
- Canola oil, for the grill
- Scorching sauce and lime wedges, for serving
Directions
- Make the marinade: To a blender, add the orange juice, tomato purée, achiote paste, garlic, cumin, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Mix till fully clean, then switch to a small pot.
- Carry the marinade to a boil over medium-high, then flip down the warmth to keep up a robust simmer. Prepare dinner, stirring sometimes to forestall scorching, till the marinade is barely thickened and the garlic not tastes uncooked, 15–20 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to style, then switch to a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use instantly, or switch to an hermetic container and refrigerate for as much as 1 week.
- If utilizing complete fish, use a pointy knife to attain the fish crosswise on both sides, being cautious to not minimize by way of to the bone. Place the fish in a big baking dish and rub 1½ cups of the marinade all around the exterior and contained in the slits. (If utilizing cubes, in a big bowl toss the fish with 1½ cups of the marinade.) Let marinate at room temperature when you preheat the grill, for no less than 15 and as much as 40 minutes.
- Warmth a grill or grill pan over excessive warmth. As soon as the grill is scorching, liberally oil the grates. Thread the fish onto 4 10-inch metallic or (completely soaked) bamboo skewers, shaking off any extra water earlier than utilizing. Grill, turning sometimes, till the fish is charred in locations and cooked by way of, 14–16 minutes for complete fish, 5–6 minutes for cubed fish. Switch to a platter and serve with lime wedges, scorching sauce, and the remaining marinade.
