Huachinango al Rey

  “ Huachinango al Rey” 

Submitted by: 

Marlene Linville,
Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York 

Butchery and Ethnographic Info:

This recipe originates from Mexico, but has been reinterpreted to use a common red snapper. Remove the scales and fins of the Lutjanus campechanus but leave the head and tail on it. Remove the entrails and clean the body cavity. 

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lbs Red Snapper
• 2 Onions
• 4 Tomatoes
• Poblano Peppers (if you can’t find them, jalepeños work fine)
• 4 Lemons (2 thinly sliced, 1 halved, 1 quartered)
• Fresh cilantro (corriander leaves)
• Oregano 
• Ground Cumin 
• Salt 
• Black Pepper 

Instructions:

 Preheat the oven to 375° F. Clean the fish and thoroughly wash the body cavity. Thinly slice the onions, tomatoes, peppers and two lemons. Chop the cilantro. Sprinkle the body cavity with salt, pepper, chopped cilantro and cumin (al gusto!). Put the halved lemon, along with some onion, tomato, and pepper slices inside the body cavity. Line a baking dish big enough to fit the fish with onions, tomatoes, lemon, and pepper slices. Set the fish on top and layer it again with the slices. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the fish). In the last five minutes of cooking remove the foil. When it is done, place the fish under the broiler for one minute to brown the veggies and the fish. Serve it with yellow rice and red beans.