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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
30 minutes
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Serves
4
Test Kitchen Notes
In the latest episode of Sweet Heat, Rick Martínez brings us a recipe he's been wanting to share for about three years: a simple coconut-roasted fish with salsa macha. “It's really easy—you basically mix a bunch of really delicious spices with some citrus and coconut milk, then put this beautiful hunk of fish in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until it's just flaking and falling apart,” he says. While it cooks, whip up a salsa macha (this version gets an umami boost from anchovies) to spoon over top the fish. —The Editors
Watch This Recipe
Coconut-Roasted Cod With Anchovy Salsa Macha
Ingredients
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2
medium oranges
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1
(13.5-ounce) can unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
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½ teaspoons
whole allspice berries
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Kosher salt
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2 pounds
skinless, boneless, firm whitefish filet (such as cod, pollock, or halibut)
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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1½ cups
vegetable oil
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5
garlic cloves, peeled
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¾ cups
raw nuts (such as hazelnuts, almonds, or cashews)
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5
medium ancho chiles (about 2 ounces), stemmed and seeded
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7
medium cascabel chiles (about 1 ounce), stemmed and seeded
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1 tablespoon
sesame seeds
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4
oil-packed anchovy filets
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1 teaspoon
dried oregano, preferably Mexican
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1 bunch
fresh parsley, roughly torn (for serving)
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1 bunch
fresh cilantro, roughly torn (for serving)
Directions
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Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 325°F. Remove 5 wide strips of zest from 1 orange with a vegetable peeler, leaving white pith behind. Set aside. Using a paring knife, remove remaining peel and white pith from both oranges, being careful not to remove too much of the flesh. Slice the peeled oranges into ¼-inch-thick rounds, transfer to a small bowl, and set aside until ready to serve.
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Stir coconut milk, the 5 zest strips, allspice berries, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a 13x9-inch baking pan. Arrange fish on top, season with 2 teaspoons salt and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake fish until the flesh is opaque and begins to flake, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil, garlic, and nuts in a large saucepan over medium heat until the garlic is golden brown and oil is lightly bubbling, 6 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer garlic and nuts to a heat-proof medium bowl. Add the chiles to the oil and cook until the oil turns slightly reddish and the chiles are very fragrant and brick red colored, about 30 seconds. Remove the oil from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chiles to the garlic mixture and let cool for 5 minutes. Add sesame seeds to the hot oil and let sit until ready to use.
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Puree the garlic-chile mixture, 1½ teaspoons salt, anchovy filets, and oregano in a food processor until coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the sesame oil mixture until all the oil has been added and chiles and nuts are finely ground. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside until ready to serve.
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To serve as a main dish, transfer fish to a platter, breaking into large pieces. Spoon zest, allspice, and roasting juices over and around the fish. Top with salsa macha, reserved orange slices, parsley and cilantro leaves, and serve with roasted vegetables and rice. For tacos, top a warmed tortilla with pieces of fish, orange slices, the fresh herbs, and spoonfuls of salsa macha.
Rick Martinez is currently living his dream—cooking, eating and enjoying the Mexican Pacific coast in Mazatlán. He is finishing his first cookbook, Under the Papaya Tree, food from the seven regions of Mexico and loved traveling the country so much, he decided to buy a house on the beach. He is a regular contributor to Bon Appétit, New York Times and hosts live, weekly cooking classes for Food Network Kitchens. Earlier this year, he was nominated for a James Beard Award for “How to win the Cookie Swap” in Bon Appétit’s holiday issue.
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