Red Snapper a la Veracruzana

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Anna Welander for this one:

Little Pauly was taking care of his baby sister while his parents went
to town shopping. He decided to go fishing and he had to take her along.
"I'll never do that again!" he told his mother that evening. "I didn't catch a thing!"

"Oh, next time I'm sure she'll be quiet and not scare the fish away," his mother said.

"It wasn't that. She didn't scare the fish. She ate all the bait!"

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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This classic Mexican dish is a world-class fish recipe. Many travelers
to Mexico are surprised at the number of seafood items on restaurant
menus. The abundance of fish in the gulf of Mexico and the Sea of Cortez
account in part for this, as do the thousands of miles of coastline on
two oceans. But the real clue to the popularity of seafood in Mexico is
the love of fine food that the Mexican people have demonstrated in the
creation and evolution of their unique cuisine.

Red Snapper a la Veracruzana (Huachinango a la Veracruzana)

6 large red snapper fillets or other firm, white-fleshed fish fillets
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (500 ml) tomato puree
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
A pinch of ground cloves
2-4 fresh or canned jalapeños or other locally available hot chiles, seeded and cut into strips
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp (2 ml) sugar
12 small new potatoes, cooked and peeled
1/2 cup (125 ml) pimiento-stuffed green olives, cut in half

Dust the fish fillets lightly with the seasoned flour. Heat 1/4 cup of
the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the fillets until
golden but not completely cooked. Set aside. Add the remaining 1/4 cup
of the oil, the onion and the garlic to the skillet, and fry until the
onion is transparent but not brown. Add the tomato puree, cinnamon, and
cloves and cook over moderate to low heat for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the chiles, lemon juice, sugar, and salt and pepper to
taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the potatoes and fish
fillets and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the fish is firm
and flakes easily. To serve, arrange the fish on a hot serving platter
and cover with the sauce, surrounded by the potatoes and garnished with the olives.
Serves 6.
Received on Wed Apr 8 22:15:54 2009