Nayarit Whole Grilled Fish (Pescado Zarandeado Entero)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Zaranda basket or large hinged fish grilling basket
• •Charcoal grill with hardwood charcoal
• •Cast iron comal or heavy skillet
• •High-powered blender
• •Long grill gloves or sturdy towels for turning the basket

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the fish

   Lay the butterflied fish skin side down on a tray. Run your fingers over the flesh and pull any pin bones you find. Sprinkle both sides with the salt and rub the lime juice into the flesh. Let it sit while you make the adobo, no more than 25 minutes. Lime is seasoning here, not a long cure. Leave it too long and the flesh tightens before it touches the fire.

2. 2

   Toast the chiles

   Heat a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium. Toast the guajillo, ancho, and chile de arbol one at a time, 15 to 25 seconds per side, pressing them flat with a spatula until they darken slightly and smell deep. Do not blacken them. Burned chile turns bitter, and bitter adobo on fish is a waste of good seafood.

   The chile de arbol burns fastest. Keep it moving and pull it off the comal as soon as it smells sharp and toasted.
3. 3

   Soften and roast

   Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water for 15 minutes. On the same comal, roast the unpeeled garlic and onion until the onion has browned edges and the garlic skins show dark spots. Peel the garlic. This gives the adobo a roasted base instead of a raw bite.

4. 4

   Blend the adobo

   Drain the chiles and put them in a blender with the roasted garlic, roasted onion, Mexican oregano, cumin, black pepper, orange juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Salsa Huichol, softened butter, and vegetable oil. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the jar as needed. The paste should be thick enough to cling to a spoon. If the blender struggles, add one tablespoon of the chile soaking water. Just one. You are making adobo, not soup.

5. 5

   Rub the fish

   Pat the fish lightly dry. Spread the adobo over the flesh side first, pushing it into the cuts near the backbone and collar. Rub a thinner layer over the skin. Let the fish rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while the grill comes ready. No me vengas con atajos. The adobo needs those few minutes to settle into the fish.

6. 6

   Prepare the fire

   Build a medium charcoal fire with a cooler zone on one side. In Nayarit, mangrove wood gives the old flavor, but most home cooks should use good hardwood charcoal and a small piece of fruitwood if they have it. Oil the zaranda basket well. If you do not have a zaranda, use a large hinged fish basket. The tool matters because it lets you turn the whole fish without tearing it apart.

7. 7

   Clamp and grill

   Place the fish in the oiled zaranda basket, flesh side facing the fire first. Grill over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the adobo darkens, the edges begin to char, and the flesh turns opaque near the ribs. Flip the entire basket in one confident motion and grill the skin side for 10 to 12 minutes more. The skin should blister and pull away in spots while the flesh stays moist.

8. 8

   Finish by sight

   Move the basket to the cooler side if the chile paste starts to scorch before the fish is cooked. Check the thickest part near the head: the flesh should flake when nudged and read 130F to 135F if you use a thermometer. Do not cook it until dry just because you are afraid of fish. A whole fish carries heat after it leaves the grill.

9. 9

   Serve family style

   Open the basket carefully and slide the fish onto a large barro rojo platter or a banana leaf set on a clay tray. Spoon any loose adobo from the basket over the top. Serve with warm corn tortillas, lime halves, cucumber, red onion, and Salsa Huichol or salsa de molcajete. People pull pieces from the fish and make tacos at the table. That is the point. Saber cocinar es saber vivir.

Chef Tips

• •Ask for the fish butterflied from the back, not split through the belly. The fish opens flatter, cooks more evenly, and looks the way it should in a Nayarit palapa.
• •Huachinango is excellent, but pargo, robalo, lisa, or even a firm local sea bass will work if the market fish is fresher. Freshness wins. You can have perfect adobo and tired fish and you will still have a tired dish.
• •Salsa Huichol is from Nayarit and belongs here. It is not decoration. It brings vinegar, chile cascabel, and coastal sharpness to the table.
• •Modern restaurant versions sometimes smear the fish with mayonnaise and mustard. Some are good. This version keeps the chile adobo in front. If you add mayonnaise, know what you are doing and do not pretend it is older than it is.
• •Do not use flour tortillas unless you are cooking in a northern tradition that calls for them. Here, warm corn tortillas are right. This is Nayarit, not Sonora.

Advance Preparation

• •The chile adobo can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before rubbing it on the fish so the butter loosens and spreads evenly.
• •The fish should be seasoned and grilled the same day it is bought. Do not marinate it overnight. Acid and salt will tighten the flesh and steal the clean texture you paid for.
• •Cucumber, red onion, lime halves, and tortillas can be prepared before the fish hits the grill so the table is ready when the fish comes off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 270g)