Red Snapper Veracruz Style

This recipe is from "Mexican cookery", by Barbara Joan Hansen, H.P. Books. That book has been an excellent source of recipes made from scratch, enabling us to eat Mexican style cooking in France without relying on store-bought salsas and tortillas (which we couldn't find).

The original recipe calls for red snapper. However, one doesn't often find this fish, native to the Gulf of Mexico, in France¹⁾. I've generally prepared it with Nile perch, tilapia, or emperor breams (when available). I don't believe I cooked this much fish, though, as I tend to prepare flesh in 80-100g portions; we liked the sauce, so preparing this recipe as is but with only half as much fish would serve four.

1. Preliminaries
   • chop one medium onion
   • mince 3 cloves garlic
   • peel and chop 700g (1.5#) tomatoes
   • pit (if not already pitted) and chop 10 green olives
2. Cook sauce
   • cook onion and garlic in olive oil until tender but not brown
   • add tomatoes, olives, and
     • 2 Tb (30 ml) capers
     • 2-3 bay leaves
     • 6 peppercorns
     • salt (to taste)
   • Bring to boil, simmer uncovered 10 minutes.
3. Finish: cook the fish in the sauce.
   • Place 2 lbs (900 g.) fish filets (washed and ready to cook) in large skillet.
   • Pour sauce over fish, bring back to a boil.
   • Reduce heat, cover, simmer (low) 10 minutes (or until fish is done).

Serving suggestion: rice or coquillette pasta.