Pescado Akumal

By aargersi • July 25, 2011 • 7 Comments

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Author Notes: There is a place in Akumal, Mexico called Lol Ha - it has great food and a bar under a giant palapa overlooking the bay, friendly people, a pizzeria (yep, and it's GOOD!) a great dive shop right there ... all needs met. The first thing I order when we get there is their chipotle fish dish. Wait, that's a lie. The first thing I order is a gold margarita on the rocks. Then the fish. It's delicious - mild heat in a rich sauce, griddled fish ... their menu just says "fish" - I am using grouper here but any firm white fish will work. - aargersi - aargersi

Food52 Review: The peppers in this sauce come through with flying colors. And, there are plenty of them, so if one doesn't zip to the front then another will. The crispness left in the cubanelle is a pleasant contrast to the poblano and chipotle. The grouper has a nice texture and stands up to the sauce, but if you had a piece of chicken in the fridge instead of the fish it would also work its magic. If you're not a big fan of spice, I recommend reducing the chipotle from 2 tablespoons to 1 1/2 or so. - thehappycook - thehappycook

Serves 2

1 cup diced yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups diced tomato
1 poblano pepper - roasted (stovetop or grill method) peeled seeded and diced
2 tablespoons canned chipotle in adobo (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 cubanelle or 2 sweet wax peppers
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 large grouper filet - remove the skin and pull the pin bones
olive oil, salt and lime for the fish

Heat the olive oil to medium in a large heavy skillet. Add the onions, salt and cumin and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the cumin is toasted and the onions just start to caramelize.
Add in the tomatoes and the chipotle and continue to cook fairly slowly so that all of the ingredients are sort of melting and caramelizing together. After a few minutes, add in the garlic and the poblano. You are at a heat crossroads - taste, and if you want it hotter add more chipotle (dice up some of the pepper itself for a real kick) then after a couple more minutes add the stock. Let the mixture simmer until much of the stock has reduced down - you want a thick and slightly chunky sauce, more for scooping rather than pouring over the fish.
Salt both sides of the fish and heat a griddle or skillet. Add the sweet peppers and lime to your sauce - they should be cooked but still have a bit of body. Oil the fish pan and sear the fish on both sides. Place half on each plate, squeeze a bit of lime over, then spoon the chipotle sauce on top. Add some sliced avocado and you are good to go!
Note this would also be good over grilled chicken or pork ....