Filete de pescado entomatado (Fish filets in spicy creole sauce!)

4 Jun

In the supermarket the other day, Leandro asked for fish for lunch. This is not in itself odd…everyone in this family is island-born somehow, we all love fish, and he is a huge fan of River Monsters on Animal Planet (which I strongly encourage, because I think Jeremy – the mad fisherman — is quite hot and much better to watch with my son than Diego the animal rescuer – why, why, why do he and his bloody cousin, Dora the Explorer, have to shout everything they say? – or Phineas and Ferb – who are quite sweet, but not nearly as compelling as flesh and blood Jeremy and his sunburnt, craggy-faced, understated British delivery, rod-wielding self ).

So I picked up some wild caught tilapia to accommodate him, and because I suddenly got a strong craving (antojo) for fish in salsa criolla.

Fortunately, I had all the ingredients in – aside from the fish, it’s a pantry dish, and double fortunately, Leandro loved it, so happy, happy! Triple fortunately, it can be adapted to chicken and shrimp too, so keep that in mind! I’m happy, hope you’re happy too…

I served it with spinach pasta, on the boy’s request…I definitely would have preferred polenta, but who has time for that at 1 p.m. with no lunch ready?

Filete de pescado entomatado (Fish filets in spicy creole sauce)

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ Cup roasted red peppers (yellow or green are fine too!)

Pinch hot red pepper flakes, optional

8 oz can Spanish-style tomato sauce

8-10 pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced

1 generous tsp capers, drained indifferently

½ -1 lb tilapia filets (or other flat whitefish)

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan at medium high until liquid and fragrant. Add onions, stir to coat, and lower heat to medium. After five minutes, add garlic and peppers and pepper flakes, if desired. Cook an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender, then add tomato sauce, olives and capers and cook at a lively simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly salt and pepper tilapia filets on both sides. When sauce has cooked until the oil is beginning to separate from the sauce, lay filets on the sauce without filets touching one another.

Cook for about 4 minutes, then turn filets carefully (they will fall apart if you are not careful) and cover with sauce, cooking another 4 minutes or so (check for doneness – opaque flesh – with a fork). The genius of this recipe is that the fish won’t dry out if overcooked!

Serve with rice or atop polenta.

Tags: comida criolla, cooking, easy fish recipes, entomatado, filete de pescado, food, Puerto Rican, recipes, tilapia recipes, tomato sauce for fish

Comments 15 Comments
Categories Comida Criolla, Food, lunch, Puerto Rican, Recipes, sauce, Seafood

15 Responses to “Filete de pescado entomatado (Fish filets in spicy creole sauce!)”

lulu March 20, 2015 at 5:52 pm #

This reminds me a bit of snapper ponchatrain which is a house favorite.

Reply
- Natalia at Hot, Cheap & Easy March 20, 2015 at 6:15 pm #
  
  Wow, I’ve never heard of that! Sounds very, VERY intriguing….got a link?
  
  Reply
  - lulu March 20, 2015 at 7:11 pm #
    
    I do not, but I bet you can Google it and find more than one recipe.
pinterest March 6, 2013 at 5:53 am #

i am impressed by you site, will surely put up like yours soon

Reply
- Natalia at Hot, Cheap & Easy March 8, 2013 at 11:30 pm #
  
  Thanks!
  
  Reply
Food Forays August 21, 2012 at 6:14 am #

This sounds wonderful! I love fish, and I’ve never tried a recipe like this one. I think I’ll enjoy creating with this, so thank you!
Tami

Reply
- Natalia at Hot, Cheap & Easy August 21, 2012 at 6:22 am #
  
  Thanks so much, Tami! This one goes well with all sorts of fish. Let me know how it turns out!
  
  Reply
  - Food Forays August 21, 2012 at 7:23 am #
    
    I definitely will! I have some beautiful Basa fillets in the freezer, I might make this for dinner tonight!
Karen June 6, 2012 at 4:04 pm #

I make a shrimp dish very similar to yours but have not tried adding roasted peppers. It must really add to the flavors and I can’t wait to try the recipe.

Reply
Mad Dog June 5, 2012 at 7:44 am #

I’m happy – the fish sounds great. I’m particularly amused by the way the recipe has segued into hot guys – not my thing, but the food is good 😉

Reply
- Natalia at Hot, Cheap & Easy June 6, 2012 at 3:44 pm #
  
  Haha…every blogger has her secrets….
  
  Reply
Bluejellybeans June 5, 2012 at 5:59 am #

¡Que rico Natalia!
Pero tengo que decir que Jeremy is not hot at all…!!! Tendremos que hablar algún día de las tendencias actuales en Hot guys 😉
Diego y Dora… no puedo meterme mucho con ellos porque a Fernando (2 años y medio) le gusta mucho. En cuanto a Phineas and Ferb… we are huge fan at home (and Perry) (and Doofersmith, best evil personage ever).
En cuanto al pescado, tiene una pinta deliciosa y si es así de versátil, estate segura de que lo haré muchas veces.
¡Saludos! 🙂

Reply
- Natalia at Hot, Cheap & Easy June 6, 2012 at 3:45 pm #
  
  I have an unfortunate predilection for the whole Brit thing, I guess, but those are stories from another lifetime 😉
  
  Reply
  - Bluejellybeans June 7, 2012 at 12:59 am #
    
    Then you should check Hugh Laurie 😉
rumpydog June 4, 2012 at 7:26 pm #

Sounds delicous. Now, how do you drain something indifferently? Have you been watching Posh Nosh?

Reply

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