Cuban Recipe 911 from Marta’s Cuban American Kitchen

martas-kitchen-logo-1-copy-1

Every now and then I receive a panicky sounding email or phone call with a recipe question:

Q: “I have 30 Cubans coming over for my son’s first birthday party. What should I serve?”
A:Arroz Imperial or some Quick and Tasty Lechón.”

Q: “Can I make your crockpot recipes in a pressure cooker?” (Okay, so I don’t get this one a lot. It turns out most people are afraid of the pressure cooker, but that’s not important right now.)
A: “Absolutely. About 30 minutes on high pressure for Carne con Papas and about 20 minutes for Fricasé de Pollo.”

Occasionally, the request includes a photo like this one:

humberto-fish

I give you the lovely and multi-talented Humberto Fontova and his Catch-of-the-Day.

Q: “Marta, how would you prepare this guy?”
A: “Humberto, it’s all in the marinade.”  =D

pescado-a-la-plancha
Pescado a la Plancha
(Cuban-style Sautéed Fish Fillet)

4 to 6 Tilapia fillets (or the fresh fish of your choice)
Olive oil
Fresh lemon or lime

MARINADE:

1 1/4 cup Naranja Agria (bitter orange) Marinade
and…
1/2 tsp. Goya Adobo con Naranja Agria (yes, I use both)
1 tsp. Oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
4 –5 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Black pepper (coarsely ground)

1. Place the fish fillets in a non-reactive deep dish.
2. In a small bowl, mix the Naranja Agria Marinade, Goya Adobo, oregano, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper. Whisk together until well blended.

pescado-marinade
3. Pour marinade over fish and cover with plastic wrap. Marinate for at least 3 to 4 hours.

pescado-2
4. In a large skillet, heat olive oil (twice around the pan) over medium high heat until the oil is hot and fragrant.
5. Turn down the heat to medium and sauté the fillets for approximately 3 1/2 to 4 minutes on each side – don’t over cook.
6. Serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.

If you want the recipe for my Papas Asadas go here. Call or email me if you have any questions.  😉

9 thoughts on “Cuban Recipe 911 from Marta’s Cuban American Kitchen”

  1. Martha,

    That fish Humberto is holding is a Redfish (only one allowed person to catch in FL waters).

    I fish them with my friends in Everglades National Park.

    This is gourmet quality fish.

    I make them this way (sort of ajillo recipe I have for it):

    1. In a food chopper or blender add Extra Virgin Olive Oil, kosher salt, fresh garlic cloves (the more the better), fresh basil and a little lemon juice. You can even add a little white wine to this mix (or leave it out) and blend it all.

    2. Put the fish fillets in a baking container and cover them with this mix thoroughly on both sides.

    3. Bake the fish in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes depending on the fish quantity and thickness of fish fillets.

  2. Mike, are you taking about the Redfish?

    Of course you can grill them is just I that oven recipe comes out delicious as I make it all the time.

    The issue is that Redfish is very protected and you’re only allowed to cath one per person in FL West Coast waters (legal fish size runs from 18 to 27 inches maximum).

  3. I usually catch Redfish with live or frozen shrimp.

    They don’t bite the bait as regular fish, they rather swallow the whole thing immediately as the cast lands in the water.

    You have to cast your bait very close to the mangroves, and if they’re there they’ll go for it immediately.

    They’ll give you a nice fight. I love catching them!

  4. Amigos! Yes! The noble Redfish was designed by God with our grills and Marta’s recipe in mind. The flesh is firm and holds up well without falling apart.(as Marta stresses, don’t overcook)

    Marta–your recipe couldn’t have come at a better time. Dinner party this Sahhh-dy (New Orleanian for Saturday) night. We’ll procure the Redfish Sahhh-dy morning–if weather holds out.) Our limit is FIVE per person–and we usually fish three to four hopeless reactionaries per boat. So can often come in (legally) with TWENTY of these babies!

    Speckled trout usually also burst upon the scene.
    http://www.louisianasportsman.com/pics/med/p1208979495.jpg
    (My son and Dad above )
    The trout’s flesh is flakier, more delicate, perfect for sauteeing as described in Marta’s recipe.

  5. Humberto,

    You’re very lucky that Louisiana’s limit is five per person.

    I have also caught those trouts at Everglades National Park plus Snook, BlackDrum, Sheepshead and the usual Mangrove Snapper but the Redfish is my favorite.

  6. Ah! Black Drum and Sheepshead! Yes–also delectable, also perfect for Marta’s marinade, and also very common in our catch! Behold my viejo holding a griller of a sheepshead below:

    http://www.louisianasportsman.com/pics/p1148402942.jpg

    And me with another;

    http://www.louisianasportsman.com/pics/p1180623599.jpg

    NO LIMIT whatsoever on these babies! So often while the wife is “shopping till she drops” we’re fishing “till we drop”–‘reelin in these suckers one after another at those much-reviled (by Florida ‘environmentalists”)offshore oil production platforms, seen in background.

    Delectable pompano also swarm around them:

    http://www.hfontova.com/images/pic10.jpg

  7. Nice Sheepshead Humberto,

    Unfortunately we have limits in FL for them too and the BlackDrum, the Magrove Snappers, the Snooks and nearly every fish that we have in our waters.

    I guess the only fish we have here that doesn’t have a limit is the Grunt(Roncos), LOL.

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