The Story
When I cook this at home, the kitchen fills with the same scent that used to drift through the restaurants on a busy night. Garlic, lime, and the salt of the sea carried in on the steam. I think of Veracruz then, that mix of heat and breeze, the sound of knives on cutting boards, and the rhythm that seems to live in every dish from that coast.
Pescado Veracruzano is a meeting of worlds. The lime marinated fish brings brightness and tenderness, while the sauce, a mix of tomatoes, olives, capers, and a touch of sweetness from raisins, carries echoes of Spain and the Mediterranean. Every bite tastes familiar and foreign at once, like memory and discovery sharing the same plate.
Red snapper is the traditional choice, but cod or halibut hold their own beautifully. What matters most is balance, salt, acid, and just enough heat to remind you that this is Mexico, not the Mediterranean.
Ingredients
4 (6 oz [170 g]) whitefish fillets (I prefer cod or halibut)
2 tsp (10 g) salt
½ cup (120 ml) lime juice, preferably freshly squeezed
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cups (360 g) green manzanilla olives, halved
2 tbsp (22.5 g) Spanish capers
2 tbsp (19 g) black raisins
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh oregano
¼ cup (45 g) Jalapeños en Escabeche or store-bought
¼ cup (10 g) cilantro leaves, chopped (optional, for garnish)
2 heirloom or beefy tomatoes, sliced
Preparation
Lightly pat the fish fillets dry with a clean paper towel and evenly season with 1 teaspoon of the salt.
Place the fillets in a glass baking dish and top with the lime juice.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat until the oil is very hot and begins to shimmer.
Stir in the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.
Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute.
Stir in the tomatoes and cook the mixture for an additional 10 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices.
Reduce the heat to medium low and add the olives, capers, raisins, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and pickled jalapeños to the pan.
Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove the fish from the marinade and gently nestle on top of the sauce.
Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid or double layer of aluminum foil and cook for 4 minutes.
Gently turn the fish over and cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and begins to flake.
Remove the bay leaves, oregano, and thyme sprigs.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, taste, and season with additional salt if desired.
Serve and garnish with slices of grilled tomatoes if desired.
NOTES FROM THE ROAD
In Veracruz, you can taste the port in every meal. Ships once carried olives and wine into the harbor, and those flavors stayed. In the markets, you still find that blend of Europe and the tropics, piles of fresh fish on ice beside crates of tomatoes and jars of pickled jalapeños. Cooking this dish at home brings that history forward, not as imitation but as continuation. The flavors travel well because they were always meant to.
SERVE AND PAIRING NOTES
Serve straight from the pan with warm tortillas or rice to soak up the sauce. Pair with a crisp white wine that can hold its own against the salt and spice. A Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño works beautifully. Let it breathe for a moment before the first sip. The wine lifts the citrus and olives, and the whole meal feels like a quiet conversation between the sea and the sun.