We are in full Lent a few days after the official start of the springbut already with intense heat in almost all regions of the country, so the consumption of fish and shellfish is one of the most popular protein options at this time. To enjoy them, here we share three typical Baja California recipes to make in Lent with seafood.
We start with some Ensenada style fish tacosOriginally from the emblematic port of Baja California and created in the 1960s, but which has not lost its validity. This recipe is followed by a rich marinated tuna, octopus and hearts of palmof “El Lugar de Nos”, an emblematic restaurant of the magical town of Tecate, where you can taste various typical preparations.
Finally there is the San Felipe style seafood towercreated in the port city known for its tower, one of the places where you cannot miss eating fresh seafood. You can enjoy these recipes in some of the most iconic restaurants in Lower California if you are visiting, or prepare them like an expert with these delicious recipes for lent.
3 recipes from Baja California for Lent
1. Ensenada style fish taco
Ingredients:
- 500 grams of corn tortillas
- 1 kilo of fish fillets
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups of light beer
- 1 pinch of oregano
- 1 tomato
- 1/2 onion
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/4 cabbage or cabbage
- 1 serrano chili
- Lemon, to taste
- mayonnaise, to taste
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- powdered black pepper
- 1 pinch of salt
Procedure:
1. in a bowl mix flour, egg, beer, baking powder, salt and black pepper to taste, until all lumps are removed.
2. Season the fish cut into 3-centimeter-wide strips with a little lemon juice, salt and pepper.
3. Place a frying pan over high heat with the vegetable oil, when it reaches the highest temperature, dip the fish strips into the flour mixture to weather and transfer to the frying pan.
4. When they are golden brown, remove and drain on absorbent paper.
5. Prepare a flag sauce to accompany, chop the tomato, garlic, onion and serrano pepper into cubes, season with salt and ground oregano.
6. Serve the fish in the tortilla, add the flag sauce, chopped cabbage, mayonnaise and lemon to taste.
2. Pickled tuna, octopus and hearts of palm
Ingredients:
- 300 grams of fresh tuna or octopus cooked in cubes
- 100 grams of sliced hearts of palm
- 1/2 cup of red onion filleted
- 100 grams of mushrooms
- 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 1 serrano chili finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 3 sprigs of coriander finely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely sliced chives
- 1 cucumber cut into cubes
- 50 mL lime juice
- 100 mL of soy sauce
- 50 ml of rice vinegar
- 1 avocado
- toast, to taste
- 30 mL of sesame oil
- virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch of black pepper powder
- 1 pinch of salt
Procedure:
1. Mix all the liquids (lemon juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil), set aside.
2. Serve a splash of virgin olive oil in a pan, leave over medium high heat and when it is hot add the chives until it is very crispy, remove.
3. If necessary, add a little more virgin olive oil and sauté the grated ginger, the sliced onion, the hearts of palm and the sliced mushrooms in that pan.
4. Remove from heat and wait for it to cool down to room temperature. Serve it in a bowl with the fresh tuna or the cooked and cubed octopus, add the cilantro and cucumber.
5. Add the dressing you made at the beginning with the soy sauce, season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve on toast, sprinkle with some toasted sesame, sliced avocado, serrano chili (if you like it spicy) and crispy chives.
3. San Felipe Style Seafood Tower
Ingredients:
- 100 grams of cubed scallops
- 100 grams of fresh tuna in cubes
- 100 grams of raw shrimp
- 100 grams of cooked and cubed octopus
- 10 lemons, juice
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 3 avocados, thinly sliced
- 2 red onions filleted
- 1 pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 pinch of salt
Ingredients for the black sauce:
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tablespoons of seasoning juice
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons of seafood sauce
- 3 tablespoons button sauce
- 1 pinch of chili powder
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup of tomato juice drink
Procedure:
1. Clean the shrimp and let it tan in the juice of 10 lemons for 20 minutes, also add the cucumber.
2. Season the rest of the already cut shellfish with a little salt and pepper.
3. Place a tall ring on an extended plate, if you do not have this utensil you can use a can without the ends, serve a bed of avocado slices (they can have lemon juice to prevent them from oxidizing and turning black), followed by octopus, onion, shrimp, tuna, scallops and cucumber.
4. Repeat the same ingredients and alternate them until they are 11 or 12 centimeters high. Be sure to pack the ingredients well between each layer so the tower holds together. Carefully remove the ring.
5. Serve the black sauce ingredients in the blender and grind for 30 seconds, strain and serve over the seafood tower, enjoy!