The Seafood of Veracruz

For the first 12 years of my life, the only fish I ever ate were frozen haddock filets at Luby’s Cafeteria in El Paso, Texas. They were fried in a thick crust and I ate them with a quarter cup of tartar sauce to disguise whatever fish flavor they might have. We lived across the border in Chihuahua state, Mexico, on a cattle ranch far from the ocean. The only fresh fish we knew were the catfish that flourished in the nearby dams. They were so ugly we never thought to eat them. I could cry now to think of all the years I missed the joys of fresh fish.

The first Mexican fish dish I ever had was pescado a la Veracruzana. No wonder, since it’s probably the second-best-known Mexican dish, right after mole poblano. And like mole, it has suffered for its popularity: It’s one of the most abused and ill-interpreted recipes in the Mexican culinary repertoire. I’ve even heard of cooks making it with canned peas and black olives.

Originating from Veracruz, the coastal state where the Spaniards first landed, it preserves the Spanish heritage, as shown by the use of (green) olives, capers and Old World herbs: bay leaves, thyme and marjoram. It also has the New World addition of tomatoes and chiles--usually pickled banana peppers--that make it an inspired mestizo dish.

It has become a classic sauce throughout Mexico, especially for red snapper (huachinango) and other fish. But it goes well with many foods. My mother serves it with braised tongue, pork chops and chicken, and at my restaurant, Zarela, in New York, it makes a piquant complement to fried calamari. It’s a delicious sauce for pasta, too.

But salsa a la veracruzana is only one little frame in the Veracruz seafood picture. Veracruz state is a long, skinny strip of green tropical lowland running northwest to southeast along the Gulf of Mexico. Its coastline is about as long as the Atlantic coast of Florida, and its waters teem with red and other snappers, pompano, snook, grouper and mojarra (a prized local fish with no English name), not to mention a profusion of oysters, shrimp and crab. In addition, the state is fed by more than 40 rivers and has countless lakes, so it also has access to plenty of freshwater fish and shellfish.

The way these foods are prepared mirrors the particular ethnic mix of Veracruz. The first inhabitants, the Olmecs and Mayas, created a sophisticated cuisine that drew on all this bounty, often incorporating other local products like corn, chiles and native herbs. The Spanish added Old World ingredients and their own cooking techniques. They also brought slaves to work the cane fields, and a strong African element often mingles with the Indian and Spanish traditions. Nowhere is this fusion of cuisines more evident than in Veracruzan seafood cookery.

Though seafood was not a part of my growing up, over the years I’ve become known for red snapper hash (salpicon de huachinango), the most popular appetizer in my restaurant. When I was starting my culinary career in El Paso in the late ‘70s, my mother discovered this fabulous dish at a bar near the Laguna de Paniagua, a lake in the northern part of Veracruz, at the border of Tampico state, and I immediately appropriated it. I was captivated by the unexpected mixture of flavors--the fish is seasoned with canela (Ceylon cinnamon), cumin and cloves.

Now that I’ve traveled throughout the state, I know that almost every coastal town makes salpicon differently; the only constant is shredded seafood. This regional character is evidenced in the rich and varied Veracruzan seafood preparations.

Though I heartily recommend a trip through this wonderful and largely unknown state, you do not have to go the entire length of Veracruz to sample all this wealth. Go to the bustling port of Veracruz city and take a short cab ride to the small town of Boca del Rio. I venture to say there are more seafood restaurants to the inch there than anywhere else in Mexico, and most are very good. (Though I must voice a complaint. The seafood is often overcooked, reflecting the tastes of the mostly Mexican tourists who visit the area.)

Here I tasted arroz a la tumbada, a rice dish--not quite a paella, a risotto or a soup--full of fish, octopus and shellfish and flavored with chiles and epazote. It hails from the nearby port of Alvarado.

Another classic that lends itself to many interpretations is torta de mariscos. This particular kind of “torte” is a patty of fish and shellfish bound with beaten eggs (and possibly dipped in eggs as well) and fried. The tortas range in size from 3 to 10 inches and can be like crisp, firm crab cakes, thin frittatas or fluffy omelets. On a recent trip to Veracruz, I had torta de mariscos made in every possible way, but the omelet style is my favorite. Because the beaten egg is folded into the seafood, it yields a moist and tender delicacy and I often serve this as a first course with a spicy sauce on the side.

Indigenous Mexican herbs like hoja santa (Piper sanctum or P. auritum) and epazote season seafood dishes throughout the state of Veracruz. Almost every town has a version of pescado en acuyo, which is fish (a whole fish or a filet) wrapped in the large, delicate anise-scented leaves of hoja santa (acuyo is the local name for it) and then grilled, baked or poached in a flavorful broth. Now that fresh hoja santa is becoming increasingly available in farmers’ markets and through mail order from growers in Texas, this is a tasty, low-calorie option when preparing fish.

If fresh hoja santa leaves aren’t available, you can buy (or order) the dried leaves from many markets with Central American clienteles. Though they are too crumbly to serve as wrappers, they add their wonderful perfume to sauces and soup.

In sea bass in green soup (caldo de robalo verde), hoja santa is used in combination with epazote and cilantro. I love this flavorful, light sauce and often use it with other seafood.

Because I’m always on a diet, I strive to add flavor without extra calories when I cook. For years I’ve been eating grilled shrimp or fish with a sauce made of chopped jalapenos and freshly squeezed lime juice that I thought I had created. Little did I know that all this time I was eating another Veracruz specialty from the spectacular Lake Catemaco area: fish in chile and lime (pescado en chile-limon). This simple preparation is made by crushing chiles with a little salt and lime juice. Nowadays many cooks also add garlic and onion, and sometimes tomatillos and cilantro. The sauce is tart and refreshing and goes well with either grilled or pan-fried fish.

I’ve always believed that most dried chiles are just too assertive for seafood. But Veracruzans have no such prejudice, and they’ve converted me. They use chipotle chile (called chile seco in Veracruz) with abandon in seafood dishes. They mix it with mayonnaise to make a sort of Mexican aioli, which is often served with steamed crab claws or poached shrimp. Chipotle lends its bold, smoky flavor to a sauce made with ancho chiles and guajillo chiles for shrimp in chipotle sauce (camarones enchipotlados), another Veracruzan staple often made with large langostinos. I often substitute jumbo shrimp, always trying to buy them with heads on and cook them in the shell for maximum flavor.

These are but a few of the wonderful dishes I’ve encountered in my travels. A whole book could be written on the food of Veracruz (and I will write it). It’s time to go beyond pescado a la veracruzana!

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Finding the Ingredients

The chiles called for in these recipes are available at Latino markets and many supermarkets. Ancho chiles are available everywhere; guajillos are a little rarer. Canned chipotles (chipotles en escabeche) are easier to find than the dried form.

The season for fresh epazote is drawing to a close, but it’s available in dried or fresh form at Latino markets such as the Vallarta chain in the San Fernando Valley (if it’s not on display, ask somebody in the produce department for it).

Epazote also grows wild in Southern California. It’s a small bush with serrated leaves that taper like rather narrow arrowheads. If you’re familiar with the common weed lamb’s-quarters, to which epazote is related, just look for a similar weed with medium green leaves and a sweet, resinous fragrance. At this time of year, it, like lamb’s-quarters, will have abundant chartreuse sprays of seeds among the leaves.

Hoja santa, also known as hierba santa, is quite rare at the moment, but its palm-sized, anise-scented leaves are usually available at Bill Coleman’s herb stand at the Wednesday Santa Monica farmers’ market. N.B.: The wild plant known in California as yerba santa is a medicinal herb unrelated to hoja santa, and the yerba santa sold in supermarkets and most Latino markets is just spearmint.

SHRIMP OR LANGOUSTINES IN CHIPOTLE SAUCE (Camarones o Langostinos Enchipotlados)

When I had this bold, simple version of a Veracruzan classic at the Casa Bonilla restaurant in Coatepec, it was made with langostinos, about the size of French langoustines. Here I substitute jumbo shrimp, which should be bought with the heads on and cooked in the shell for maximum flavor. The place to look for shrimp with heads is a Chinese or Southeast Asian fish market. Note that the chipotle chiles are added at different times, depending on whether you use dry or canned ones.

2 ancho chiles, seeds and veins removed

2 guajillo chiles, seeds and veins removed

5 dry chipotle chiles, seeds and veins removed, or 3 canned chipotles en adobo

2 pounds tomatoes

5 cloves garlic, peeled

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 pounds jumbo shrimp, heads on, or fresh langoustines

* Cover ancho, guajillo and, if using, dry chipotle chiles in bowl with boiling water and let stand 30 minutes. Drain well.

* Roast tomatoes on griddle over medium-high heat, turning frequently, until blackened all over, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to bowl as they are done. When cool enough to handle, peel away charred skin, letting juices drip back into bowl.

* Place roasted tomatoes in blender with drained chiles, (add canned chipotles, if using) and garlic. Process to smooth puree; taste for seasoning and add salt to taste.

* Heat oil to rippling over high heat in large skillet. Add shrimp and cook 1 minute on each side. Pour sauce over shrimp and cook 5 minutes more. Serve immediately.

4 servings. Each serving: 349 calories; 897 mg sodium; 221 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 33 grams protein; 3.36 grams fiber.

FISH IN CHILE-LIME SAUCE (Pescado en Chile-Limon)

Chile Limon is one of the most popular seafood sauces around the beautiful and ecologically rich region of Lake Catemaco. It was originally just jalapeno chiles ground with salt in a mortar with the addition of lime juice. Now some people add tomatillos and cilantro. For a leaner but just as good version of this dish, grill or broil the fish and omit the butter. The sauce is also terrific on fish fillets, chicken breasts, shrimp or pork medallions.

CHILE-LIME SAUCE

1/2 pound tomatillos, husks removed

Salt

Water

4 jalapenos

3 cloves garlic

1/2 small white onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

4 sprigs cilantro

FISH

1 (2-pound) red snapper, sea bass, or ocean perch

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or other coarse salt, or to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons butter, cut in several pieces

CHILE-LIME SAUCE

* Place tomatillos in small saucepan with pinch of salt. Add water to cover, bring to boil and cook over medium-high heat until tomatillos lose dark green color, about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool to room temperature.

* Remove seeds from jalapenos, leaving veins intact. Place tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic, onion, lime juice and cilantro in blender and process, adding enough cold water to make about 1/2 cup thin sauce.

FISH

* Lightly sprinkle fish on both sides with coarse salt. Heat oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat until rippling and fragrant, then add fish and fry, turning frequently with large spatula, until light golden and nearly firm to touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Hold fish down with spatula and carefully spoon or drain off most of hot oil from pan.

* Pour Chile-Lime Sauce over fish and cook 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, add butter and swirl pan to melt butter. Serve immediately.

4 servings. Each serving: 508 calories; 1,062 mg sodium; 83 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 38 grams protein; 0.30 gram fiber.

SEAFOOD TORTA (Torta de Mariscos)

This is a great party dish, and it would also be wonderful at brunch, made as small individual omelets. You can vary the seafood as you like, but the combination shouldn’t be too watery and should add up to around 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds. The tricky part of the dish is flipping the “pancake” or “omelet.” I use a 10-inch nonstick frying pan that comes with a matching flat lid and slide the torte onto the lid when it’s done on one side.

1 small white onion, unpeeled

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

5 bay leaves

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt

2 quarts water

1 pound unshelled shrimp

1/2 pound squid bodies, cut in 1/4-inch dice, about 1 cup (reserve tentacles for another use)

1 pound lump crab meat, picked over to remove bits of shell

1 medium white onion, chopped fine

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine

2 tablespoons flour

4 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon olive oil

* Place unpeeled onion and garlic, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt in stockpot or large saucepan with water. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes, skimming any froth. Remove shrimp with skimmer or slotted spoon, drain well, transfer to bowl and set aside to cool.

* Remove and discard onion and garlic. Add squid and cook 3 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside. Reserve stock for another purpose (it makes delicious fish soup).

* When shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel, devein and chop fine. Combine shrimp, squid, crab meat, chopped onion, tomatoes, parsley and chiles in bowl. Toss well to distribute ingredients. Sprinkle with flour and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon more salt and toss again until no flour can be seen.

* Beat egg whites in bowl until slightly stiff peaks form. Beat in yolks, 1 at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. With rubber spatula, carefully fold eggs into seafood mixture.

* Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant but not quite rippling. Reduce heat to low. Pour or spoon seafood mixture into pan, smoothing it with spatula to spread it evenly down to bottom of pan. Cook uncovered 8 minutes. Flip cake by sliding onto pan lid or plate and slipping it back into pan. Cook until golden on underside, about 3 minutes. Serve hot, cut in wedges.

8 servings. Each serving: 182 calories; 280 mg sodium; 241 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams protein; 0.66 gram fiber.

GREEN SOUP WITH SEA BASS (Caldo Verde de Robalo)

Juice of 2 limes

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

4 (6-ounce) sea bass fillets

1 quart fish stock

8 tomatillos, peeled and quartered

2 fresh jalapenos, coarsely chopped

10 sprigs cilantro

3 large sprigs fresh epazote or 1/2 tablespoon dried

6 fresh hoja santa leaves

2 tablespoons butter

* Combine lime juice, garlic and salt to taste in large bowl. Place fish in juice, turn to coat well and let sit 10 minutes. Remove, pat dry and set aside.

* Put 1 cup fish stock in blender with tomatillos, jalapenos, cilantro, epazote and 5 hoja santa leaves. Process until smooth and set aside.

* Heat butter over medium heat in Dutch oven or large saucepan until foamy. Add pureed sauce and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 3 cups stock and bring to boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add fish fillets and cook until just firm to the touch, 4 minutes.

* Puree remaining 1 hoja santa leaf with some stock or water in blender or food processor, add to pot and bring back to boil. Transfer fish fillets to large soup bowls and add 1 cup stock to each.

4 servings. Each serving: 232 calories; 1,301 mg sodium; 124 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 27 grams protein; 0.23 gram fiber.

VERACRUZ SAUCE (Salsa ala Veracruzana)

It seems as if there are as many variations of this sauce as there are cooks in the state of Veracruz. Some people like to make a tomato puree then add the other ingredients; others prefer to mince them and let them cook down to a thick paste. Still others prefer a chunky tomato texture. The essential thing is that the tomatoes be ripe and juicy, and I don’t hesitate to use canned plum tomatoes when fresh ones are not at their peak.

The constants in the recipe are the olive oil, capers, pimiento-stuffed olives and pickled chiles. The other flavorings vary, though most versions include bay leaves. In Veracruz City, I encountered this delicious recipe, which is flavored with other herbs as well, adding greater dimension.

1/4 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, peeled

1 onion, chopped fine

2 pounds tomatoes, chopped fine

12 to 15 large capers or 1 teaspoon small

12 pimiento-stuffed olives

2 to 3 canned jalapenos, tops and seeds removed, sliced thin lengthwise

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried

2 sprigs fresh marjoram, chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried

2 sprigs fresh Mexican oregano, chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried, crumbled

Salt

* Heat olive oil in heavy-bottomed saucepan with lid over medium-high heat until fragrant. Add 3 garlic cloves and cook until golden on all sides to flavor oil. Remove and discard garlic.

* Mince 2 remaining garlic cloves and add to pan along with onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

* Add tomatoes, stir well and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add capers, olives, jalapenos, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram and Mexican oregano. Cook, partially covered, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste. Remove and discard fresh herbs and bay leaves, if using.

3 to 3 1/2 cups. Each tablespoon: 17 calories; 19 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.16 gram fiber.