Yucatan Fish With Crisp Garlic Recipes

Steps:

• Combine 2 tablespoons oil with garlic in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until garlic browns, 5 to 10 minutes; season with a little salt and pepper, and turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, put remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add fish and chilies and cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add all but a tablespoon or 2 of lime juice, along with tomatoes if desired. Cook another 2 minutes or so, until fish is cooked through. Do not turn fish.
• Carefully remove fish to a platter. Stir cilantro into pan juices and pour, with tomatoes, over fish, along with garlic, its oil and remaining lime juice. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make the pickled onions: Put onion in a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add serrano, 3 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice, then mix well. Set aside for at least 15 minutes. Combine and reserve remaining citrus juice for marinade.
• Make the marinade: Put achiote, cinnamon, oregano and chipotle in a small stainless steel or glass bowl. In a small dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast cumin, cloves and allspice until fragrant, 1 minute or less. Grind toasted spices to a powder in a spice mill or mortar, then add to other spices. Add garlic, 1 large pinch salt and remaining citrus juice and stir to make a paste. If very thick, add more lime juice. (Note: achiote may stain surfaces or clothing.)
• Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, score skin at thickest parts, if desired. Paint fish on both sides with marinade. Squeeze a little lime juice over fish. Chill for 45 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
• Bring fish to room temperature and heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut banana leaves crosswise into footlong lengths and soften by passing them briefly over a stovetop burner. Rinse leaves and pat dry. Lay a double thickness of leaves on a baking sheet and lay fish on it, skin-side down. Top fish with a large handful of pickled onions. Arrange tomato wedges over onions. Sprinkle with salt and a little more lime juice. Lay more leaves on top, then wrap like a package, tying with string or strips of leaf. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove and let package rest, unopened, for 15 minutes. Serve with remaining pickled onions.