Veracruz-Style Fish (Pescado a la Veracruzana)

Red Snapper

• 6 thick, skinless red snapper fillets (about 5–6 ounces/150–170 g each and ¾–1 inch thick; approximately 2–2¼ pounds total, pin bones removed)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (divided, plus more only if needed)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (coarse, freshly ground and divided)

Veracruz Sauce

• 2½ pounds ripe Roma tomatoes (about 10–12 medium tomatoes)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1 medium white onion (halved and thinly sliced, about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced or finely minced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (crumbled)
• 4 pickled güero chiles (slit lengthwise)
• OR · 3 pickled jalapeños (thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons brine from the pickled chiles
• ¾ cup pitted green olives (preferably Manzanilla or Castelvetrano, rinsed and halved)
• 2 tablespoons capers (rinsed and drained)
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped and divided)
• ½ cup reserved tomato juice, low-sodium fish stock, or water (as needed)

For Serving

• lime wedges
• warm Mexican white rice (optional)
• warm corn tortillas (optional)

Instructions

1. Salt the Fish: Pat the red snapper fillets dry and arrange them on a parchment-lined plate or small rimmed baking sheet. Season both sides with ¾ teaspoon of the fine sea salt. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes while preparing the tomatoes and sauce.6 red snapper fillets, ¾ tsp fine sea salt
2. Prepare an Ice Bath: Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Bring a large saucepan of water to a full boil.
3. Score the Tomatoes: Cut a very shallow X through the skin at the bottom of each Roma tomato. Do not cut deeply into the flesh.2½ pounds Roma tomatoes
4. Blanch the Tomatoes: Working in batches, lower the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30–60 seconds, just until the skins begin to loosen around the cuts. Transfer them immediately to the ice bath with a slotted spoon.scored Roma tomatoes
5. Peel the Tomatoes: Once cool enough to handle, remove and discard the loosened skins. Cut out the firm stem cores.blanched tomatoes
6. Seed the Tomatoes: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Halve the tomatoes crosswise and gently remove the seeds and watery centers over the strainer. Press the seeds lightly to extract their juice. Discard the seeds but reserve all of the strained tomato juice.peeled tomatoes
7. Chop the Tomatoes: Cut the tomato flesh into an even ¼-inch dice. Keep the chopped pulp and reserved juice separate.prepared tomato flesh
8. Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
9. Heat the Olive Oil: Heat 3 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil in a large oven-safe braiser or deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat.3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10. Cook the Onion: Add the sliced white onion and the remaining ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt. Cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is completely tender and translucent but not deeply browned.1 medium white onion, ¼ tsp fine sea salt
11. Add the Garlic: Add the sliced or minced garlic and cook for 30–45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant without allowing it to brown.4 garlic cloves
12. Begin the Tomato Sauce: Add the chopped tomato flesh, ¼ cup of the reserved tomato juice, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, Mexican oregano, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper. Stir thoroughly and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.prepared tomatoes, ¼ cup reserved tomato juice, 2 bay leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, ¼ tsp black pepper
13. Cook the Tomatoes: Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened and lost their raw flavor. The sauce should remain visibly chunky and lightly brothy. It should not reduce into a thick paste.partially cooked Veracruz sauce
14. Add the Pickled Chiles: Add the pickled güero chiles or sliced pickled jalapeños and the chile brine. Stir gently so the whole güero chiles remain intact when using them.pickled chiles, 2 tbsp chile brine
15. Add the Olives and Capers: Stir in the rinsed green olives and capers. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, allowing their flavor to enter the sauce without cooking them until soft.¾ cup green olives, 2 tbsp capers
16. Finish the Sauce: Stir in 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley. Taste the sauce before adding any additional salt. If the sauce is becoming too thick, add reserved tomato juice, fish stock, or water 1 tablespoon at a time. It should fall easily from a spoon and form a shallow pool in the pan.2 tbsp parsley, reserved tomato juice or fish stock as needed
17. Prepare the Fish for Baking: Remove the fish from the refrigerator and pat away any moisture that has collected on the surface. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Brush the fillets lightly with the remaining tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.salted fish fillets, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
18. Arrange the Fish in the Sauce: When all six fillets fit in the braiser without overlapping, nestle them directly into the hot sauce. Spoon some sauce over and around each fillet while leaving part of the upper surface visible.prepared snapper fillets, hot Veracruz sauce
19. Use a Baking Dish When Needed: When the skillet cannot hold all six fillets in one layer, spread approximately 1½ cups of the sauce across the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the fish over the sauce and spoon the remaining hot sauce around and partially over the fillets.prepared fish and sauce
20. Bake the Fish: Transfer the braiser or baking dish to the oven and bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes, beginning to check the fish after 8 minutes when the fillets are thinner. The thickest portion of every fillet should reach an internal temperature of 145°F. The flesh should be opaque and separate under gentle pressure but should not be dry enough to break apart automatically.assembled Veracruz-Style Red Snapper
21. Rest the Fish: Remove the pan from the oven and let the fish rest in the sauce for 3 minutes.finished fish
22. Remove the Herbs: Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.bay leaves, thyme sprigs
23. Finish the Dish: Sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley over the fish. Add whole pickled güero chiles back to the top when they have become hidden beneath the sauce.remaining 2 tbsp parsley
24. Serve: Carefully lift one fillet onto each warmed plate. Spoon a generous amount of tomato sauce, olives, capers, onion, and pickled chile around and partially over the fish. Serve immediately with lime wedges, Mexican white rice, or warm corn tortillas.finished Veracruz-Style Red Snapper, lime wedges