PESCADO A LA TALLA/ RED AND GREEN ROASTED FISH

PESCADO A LA TALLA/
RED AND GREEN ROASTED FISH

1 whole 1kg to 2kg whitefish
(whatever is available to you locally),
butterflied and deboned
Sea salt
240ml Green Sauce
240ml Adobo Rojo de Chiles
For the Frijoles Aguados/Soupy Beans:
Makes about 720g
240g dried black beans,
soaked overnight, and rinsed
10g garlic cloves
1 sprig epazote or 2 avocado leaves
Salt to taste
For the Adobo Rojo de Chiles sauce:
Makes about 760g
30g chile cascabel, destemmed
and seeded
12g chile ancho, destemmed and seeded
9g chile guajillo, destemmed
and seeded
9g chile pasilla, destemmed and seeded
1g chile de árbol, destemmed
and seeded
450g roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
70g white onion, roughly chopped
12g garlic cloves, roughly chopped
12g freshly squeezed orange juice
3g achiote paste
36g grapeseed oil
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of oregano
18g sea salt, plus more for seasoning
METHOD
Make the Frijoles Aguados: 1 day before cooking, soak the dried
beans overnight in cold water (this will ensure that the beans cook
faster and more evenly). The next day, rinse the beans thoroughly to
remove any debris. Place the beans in a medium pot and cover with
water until the beans are completely submerged and there’s an extra
10 centimeters of water above them. Add the garlic and epazote (or
avocado leaves). Remove any beans that float to the surface.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to maintain a
simmer. Cover the pot. After about 30 minutes, remove the lid,
stir the beans, and add more water if needed to maintain 10 centimeters of water covering the beans. Replace the lid and simmer for
another 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, taste a bean for doneness—it
will likely still be firm, but check every 10 minutes from this point,
stirring gently between each test and adding more water as needed.
Cook the beans until soft but still whole with skin intact. Season with
salt and set aside.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or
freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat gently over low heat.
Make the Adobo Rojo de Chiles sauce: If possible, turn on the
exhaust fan above your stove or open a window before toasting your
chiles. Heat a large nonstick pan or clay comal over medium-high
heat. Cook the chiles in the dry pan or on the comal, flipping once,
until lightly toasted and aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Put the toasted chiles in a blender. Add the tomato, onion, and
garlic. Place the achiote paste in a small bowl. Slice the orange in
half and squeeze one half into the achiote paste. Stir to combine.
Add the mixture to the blender, along with the juice from the other
half of the orange. Add the grapeseed oil, cumin, and oregano.
Blend on high until the sauce is thick but smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the cumin and oregano, and stir. Add salt to taste.
MASTERCLASS GABRIELA CÁMARA PAGE 26
For the Green Sauce:
Makes about 760g
10g garlic cloves
40g parsley leaves
120ml safflower oil or grapeseed oil
Pinch of cumin
Sea salt to taste
For the Frijoles Refritos/Refried Beans:
Makes about 480g
20g vegetable oil or lard
150g white onion, finely diced
240g Frijoles Aguados, strained
240ml reserved bean cooking liquid
To assemble:
Salsa Verde Cruda (recipe on page 14)
Salsa Tatemada (recipe on page 33)
Fresh corn tortillas, warmed
(recipe on page 10)
80g Ocosingo cheese, queso fresco, or
cotija cheese for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Make the Green Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a blender (or
a tall vessel if you’re using an immersion blender). Blend until all
ingredients are smooth and combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Parsley
can be fibrous and tricky to blend; just keep pulsing until emulsified.
Prepare the fish: Preheat the oven to 200°C (375°F). Liberally
grease a baking sheet with olive oil to avoid sticking. Place the
butterflied fish on the baking sheet skin side down. Salt the fish. Use
a serving spoon to coat one side of the fish with the Adobo Rojo de
Chiles sauce, spreading an even layer across the entire surface of
the fish. Use a fresh serving spoon to coat the other side of the fish
with the Green Sauce.
Once both sides are amply coated with sauce, roast the fish in
the oven until the flesh is white and slightly visible from beneath
the sauce, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check fish after 15 minutes to
avoid overcooking.
Make the Frijoles Refritos: While the fish is cooking, prepare the
Refried Beans. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil
or lard over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and
translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. While the onions are cooking,
spoon the reserved bean cooking liquid and 240 grams of the
Frijoles Aguados into a blender (or a tall vessel if using an immersion
blender). Blend until the beans are smooth and resemble a light yet
watery paste.
Once the onions are translucent, pour the bean paste into the
cast-iron skillet with the onions. Stir well with a wooden spoon to
combine. The mixture should be silky smooth and not too thick—it
should coat the back of a spoon but still drip off. Taste the beans for
seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Set aside.
Assemble: Remove the fish from the oven and transfer it to a platter
(or leave it on the baking sheet). Serve with warm tortillas, a bowl of
Frijoles Refritos topped with Ocosingo, queso fresco, or cotija cheese,
Salsa Verde Cruda, Salsa Tatemada, and fresh lime.