Huachinango a la Veracruzana
1 large red snapper (see note)
2 medium onions, sliced
1 kg tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 tbs capers
6 tbsp green olives, pitted and chopped (black olives are OK as well)
5-10 pickled chile peppers, depending on the strength of the peppers and the desired heat of the finished dish
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
A week or so ago we were down in the Steveston area of town which is an awesome little fishing village turned tourist area. There are a number of great little restaurants and shops all down near the waterfront that you can check out and lots of people all over. The coolest thing is that the docks are open to the public and you can go down and buy fresh fish and seafood from the fishermen right off of the boats. We didn't buy anything that day (we'll be back though!), but we were inspired to make one of our favourite simple fish dishes Huachinango a la Veracruzana.
Basically, all you have to do is put the cleaned fish in a large baking pan. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper and top with the tomatoes, onions, capers, olives and chiles. Pour the olive oil over the whole thing and bake in a 375 F oven for about 35-45 minutes or until the fish is flaky and tender.
Note: This dish can be made with any kind of fish really. I would recommend a firm fleshed white fish such as cod or halibut but you can easily get the same great results with sole, tilapia or even salmon if you wish.
Serve with some rice and vegetables and you're all set! Enjoy!