Vatapa
- (
Fish and Shrimp in Ginger Flavored Peanut Sauce )
Classic
Latin American Recipe
Serves:
6
Ingredients:
4 tbls. Olive Oil
2 lbs. Sea Bass Fillets
1 lb. Halibut Fillets (cut crosswise into 2 inch-wide pieces,
or substitute any other combination of firm white fish)
1 lb. Raw Shrimp (shelled and deveined)
1/2 cup Onions (Finely chopped)
2 Medium Tomatoes (peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or substitute
2/3 cup chopped, drained, canned Italian plum tomatoes)
1 Bottled Tabasco Pepper (drained, seeded and finely chopped)
1 Coconut (freshly grated)
2 1/2 cups Water or Milk
1/4 cup Dry Roasted Peanuts (wrapped in a towel and crushed with
a rolling pin)
1/4 cup Dried Shrimp (ground in a blender or pulverized with a
mortar and pestle)
1 tbls. Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander (cilantro)
1 tbls. Finely Grated Fresh Ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 tspn. Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 tbls. Rice Flour (dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water)
2 tbls. Dende Oil (if available)
Procedures:
1. In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, heat the
oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. In it,
lightly brown the fish and shrimp in 2 or 3 batches, being careful
not to crowd the pan and not to let the fish and shrimp overcook.
As you proceed, transfer the cooked seafood to a plate with a
slotted spoon. Set the fish and shrimp aside.
2.
Add the chopped onions to the oil remaining in the skillet and
cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 4 or 5 minutes,
or until the onions are soft and transparent but not brown. Add
the tomatoes and the tabasco pepper, reduce the heat to low, cover
the skillet and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the grated coconut,
and then add the 2 1/2 cups of water or milk, the peanuts, dried
shrimp, coriander, ginger, salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Bring to a boil over moderate heat, reduce the heat to low and
simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the rice flour and water
mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens
slightly.
3.
With the back of a spoon, force the sauce through a fine sieve
set over a large bowl, pressing down hard on the contents of the
sieve to extract all of their liquid before discarding them. Return
the strained sauce to the skillet, and cook over moderate heat,
stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the
spoon lightly. Add the fish and shrimp and the dende oil, and
simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the fish and shrimp are heated
through.
To
Serve: Rransfer the entire contents of the skillet
to a large, deep heated platter. If you like, you may accompany
the vatapa with the pirao de arroz com leite de coco.
Other
Related Links:
Classic
Latin American Recipes