Huachinango a la Veraruzana (Veraruz Red Snapper)

Ingredients

1 whole red snapper (approx. 1 1/2 kg – 3.3 lbs.)
4 plum tomatoes
½ cup freshly made tomato puree (water, tomatoes & a dash of olive oil)
12 green olives, whole
8 green olives pitted and crushed
6 pickled chillies
1 onion, sliced
2 laurel leaves
1 pinch of oregano
1 tablespoon capers
Parsley
Oil
Salt

For the marinade:

3 cloves of garlic, chopped
Juice of two limses
4 tablespoons water
1 pinch of clove
1 pinch of pepper

Method

1. Clean the fish without cutting off either the head or the tail. With a sharp knife, score the fleshy part of the snapper and pour over the garlic and lime marinade. Allow the marinade to penetrate the snapper for half an hour.
2. Pour a tablespoon of oil into a hot pan and sear the fish for a few minutes on both sides. Add a ladle of chicken broth and begin to add your ingredients. Firstly, add the sliced onion, then the laurel or bay leaves and two pinches of oregano.
3. Next, pour in the fresh tomato puree, followed by the whole plum tomatoes. The pickled chillies are then added, with crushed olives and capers. Season with salt and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
4. Before serving, sprinkle the whole olives and chopped parsley over the snapper and serve on a large dish.

Recipe by Emilio Allende Hernandez, Pardinos Restaurant, Veracruz, Mexico.