Bahia Fish Recipes

BAJA FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Heat about 3 inches vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, toss the cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, honey and mayonnaise in a bowl. Season the slaw with salt.
• Warm the tortillas in a skillet over medium-low heat or wrap in a damp cloth and microwave 25 seconds. Wrap in a towel to keep warm.
• Mix the flour, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste in a shallow bowl. Dredge the fish in the flour mixture, then fry in batches until golden and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt.
• Halve, pit and slice the avocado. Fill the tortillas with the fish, avocado, slaw and salsa. Serve with lime wedges.

MOQUECA (BRAZILIAN SEAFOOD STEW)

Steps:

• Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut along the length of each prawn deep enough to expose and remove the vein. Place the fish chunks in a large bowl and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and toss to coat. Set the prawns and fish aside while preparing the sauce.
• In a large, shallow Dutch oven or large, deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons dendê oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 1 minute. Add the onion, stir and cook, stirring until translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Increase the heat to high, add the peppers, tomatoes and chile. Season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are softened and any liquid from the tomatoes is beginning to evaporate, 4 minutes.
• Pour in the coconut milk, stir and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and reduces to a creamy sauce, about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust the salt, if necessary, and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.
• Carefully place the prawns in the sauce in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the prawns to cook the other sides and add the cod. (Discard any juices in the bowl.) The fish will be partly submerged. Cook until the fish is tender and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat, drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon dendê oil and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Slice the remaining lime into wedges. Serve immediately, with steamed rice and lime wedges for squeezing.

SWEET DIJON BASA SWAI FISH (OR A FISH OF YOUR CHOICE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Mix honey, mayonnaise, olive oil, mustard, and lemon juice together in a bowl.
• Place each fish fillet on separate pieces of aluminum foil. Drizzle honey sauce over each fish fillet. Gently wrap the aluminum foil around each coated fish fillet, crimping the foil together over the top to seal into a packet.
• Bake fillets in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 13 minutes. Place one fish fillet on each serving plate and top with leftover sauce from foil packet.

BAHIA-STYLE MOQUECA PRAWN STEW

Steps:

• Place the prawns in a bowl with 2 tbsp of the lime juice, 1 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of the chopped garlic. Chill for 1 hr.
• Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the spring onion and onion and fry for 5 mins, then add the red pepper, chilli flakes, paprika and remaining garlic.
• Pour in the tomatoes, coconut milk and a little salt. Bring to a simmer and let reduce for 10 mins. Add the prawns, all the marinade and remaining lime juice. Gently simmer until the prawns turn white, about 3 mins. Serve with the fresh coriander and rice.

BAJA STYLE FISH TACOS

Steps:

• Mix tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, 1 tablespoon juice from jalapeno peppers, and garlic salt in a bowl; squeeze 1/2 lime over salsa fresca. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing fish.
• Toss coleslaw mix with ranch dressing in a bowl; set aside for flavors to blend.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir batter mix and beer together in a bowl. Wrap corn tortillas in wet paper towels and set aside.
• Dip cod in the batter mix; fry coated cod in batches in the hot oil until cod is cooked through and coating is brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove cod with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Microwave corn tortillas on high until warmed, about 1 minute.
• Stack two tortillas on a plate; top with fish, a sprinkle of Mexican cheese, coleslaw mixture, salsa fresca, and a squeeze from lime wedge. Drizzle with chile-garlic sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

BAHIAN-STYLE FISH STEW (MOQUECA DE PEIXE)

Steps:

• In workbowl of a food processor chop cilantro, tomato, green pepper and onion to a coarse paste. Heat paste in a large heavy skillet over low heat for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add haddock and drained shrimp. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes. Add lemon juice, coconut milk and dende and simmer 5 minutes more. Serve, passing Malagueta peppers;

BAHIAN BRASILIAN FISH STEW, DECORATED WITH BOILED EGGS (MOQUECA

Steps:

• Set eggs on to boil.
• Stir together the lime juice, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper in a non-reactive bowl. Add the Tilapia and GENTLY toss with your fingers to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes being careful not to let the fish "cook" in the lime juice.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and the diced chilies until onions are transparent and beginning to lightly brown. Wash hands thoroughly after handling the chilies.
• Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the tomato paste.
• Add the bell peppers and diced tomatoes to the pot in succeeding layers. Pour the coconut milk over the mixture. Stir well but gently.
• Cover the pot and simmer on lowest heat for 15- 30 minutes or until the peppers are at a consistency you like, stirring occasionally.
• Gently add the fish, marinade and 2/3 of the chopped and stemmed cilantro and continue cooking until the fish is thoroughly cooked. Allow 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.
• Ladle or gently pour the Moqueca into a large serving bowl, garnish with boiled egg wedges on top and finish with remaining chopped cilantro.
• Serve over white rice, with lime wedges. Side dishes: sauteed collards or spinach and garlic. For dessert, cold orange slices. Also a good accompaniment: Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo) ( it's gluten/wheat free)!
• Slow Cooker Variation:.
• Place ALL ingredients including the marinade in the slow cooker EXCEPT the FISH pieces and cilantro). Cook 6 to 8 hours (overnight) on low and then to WARM.
• 1 hour prior to serving, return cooker to LOW: ADD half the cilantro and the fish.
• Gently spoon sauce over fish pieces and allow fish to cook for 1 hour until the fish is cooked through. Garnish and serve as described above.

BAHIA FISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet.
• Add onion and garlic and fry carefully.
• Mash the tomatoes in a blender and pour into the skillet, let it simmer for about 15- 20 minutes.
• Taste the sauce with salt, pepper and sambal oelek and turn of the heat.
• Add coconut milk and stir.
• Add fish fillets and simmer carefully for another 10- 15 minutes.
• Serve with rice.
• Variation: add/ substitute fish with shellfish.