Tikinxic Recipes

YUCATECAN -STYLE GRILLED MAHI-MAHI

Steps:

• Place fish in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk achiote paste and next 7 ingredients in medium bowl. Pour achiote mixture over fish; turn to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour.
• Prepare barbecue (high heat). Brush shiny side of banana leaves with 2 tablespoons oil; place each on baking sheet, oiled side down (some of leaf will hang over edge of sheet). Arrange 2 fillets with marinade still clinging crosswise in center of each banana leaf, spacing 2 inches apart. Drizzle wine around fish in leaves. Top each fillet with 1 bay leaf and 1 sprig of fresh epazote or parsley or 1 pinch of dried epazote. Fold overhanging edges of banana leaf over fish to enclose loosely. Transfer fish from baking sheet to grill, folded edges up. Cover and grill until fillets are just opaque in center, about 10 minutes.
• Open banana leaves. Transfer fish to plates. Garnish with tomato and lime slices. Serve with Yucatecan Pickled Onions and Habanero-Tomato Salsa.

YUCATáN FISH

Steps:

• Make the pickled onions: Put onion in a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add serrano, 3 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice, then mix well. Set aside for at least 15 minutes. Combine and reserve remaining citrus juice for marinade.
• Make the marinade: Put achiote, cinnamon, oregano and chipotle in a small stainless steel or glass bowl. In a small dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast cumin, cloves and allspice until fragrant, 1 minute or less. Grind toasted spices to a powder in a spice mill or mortar, then add to other spices. Add garlic, 1 large pinch salt and remaining citrus juice and stir to make a paste. If very thick, add more lime juice. (Note: achiote may stain surfaces or clothing.)
• Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, score skin at thickest parts, if desired. Paint fish on both sides with marinade. Squeeze a little lime juice over fish. Chill for 45 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
• Bring fish to room temperature and heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut banana leaves crosswise into footlong lengths and soften by passing them briefly over a stovetop burner. Rinse leaves and pat dry. Lay a double thickness of leaves on a baking sheet and lay fish on it, skin-side down. Top fish with a large handful of pickled onions. Arrange tomato wedges over onions. Sprinkle with salt and a little more lime juice. Lay more leaves on top, then wrap like a package, tying with string or strips of leaf. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove and let package rest, unopened, for 15 minutes. Serve with remaining pickled onions.

TIKIN-XIK FISH

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill for indirect cooking over medium-high heat.
• Wash the fish thoroughly and dry with paper towels. Sprinkle inside and out with the salt and pepper.
• Dissolve the achiote paste in the sweet orange juice, sour orange juice and vinegar. Rub the fish very well, inside and out, with the mixture. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Place the fish on a banana leaf and arrange the pimiento strips, red onions, tomatoes and garlic on top. Sprinkle with the oregano.
• Transfer the banana leaf to the grill and cook, covered, until the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Serve with rice and refried beans, accompanied by tortillas.

TIKINXIC

Steps:

• For the Axiote sauce:
• Stir the lime juice with garlic, salt, pepper and axiote. Set aside.
• For the fish:
• Marinate each fish fillet in axiote sauce for 5 minutes.
• Open the banana leaf, cut it in 4 pieces and equally place some of the vegetables and fish. Close it up as if it were a package and bake in a preheated 330 degree F oven for 4 minutes on each side.
• Serve it with grilled green beans and rice, if desired.

PESCADO TIKIN XIK

Steps:

• Puree all ingredients except fish, oil, and lemon in a blender until smooth. Place fish in a nonreactive container, and pour marinade over the fish; turn to coat evenly. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a baking sheet with oil. Remove fish, letting excess marinade drip off, and arrange in a single layer on sheet; brush with remaining oil. Bake until fish is firm and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot, with lemon wedges on the side.