Corvina Cacerola (Ecuadorean Fish Casserole)
This is an odd little gem of a recipe, not at all untypical of the way Ecuadoreans use plantains. Corvina is a saltwater fish very common in Latin America. Sea bass is a good substitute, though most any white, firm fleshed fish would do. There is a recipe for making achiote from annatto seeds by Rita L -- Recipe #109238. After Kathy's review, I did go over the recipe and make some corrections.
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INGREDIENTS
Nutrition- 1lb fish fillet
- 4
- 4
- 4
- 2ounces unsalted peanuts
- 7
-
- 2
- 1teaspoon oregano
- 1teaspoon sugar
- 4cups water
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DIRECTIONS
- Grate the plantains, separating one grated plantain from the rest.
- Butter a pyrex baking dish large enough to hold all the ingredients.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Finely grind the peanuts and dissolve them in 1/2 cup water (this is not meant to be peanut butter, tho, in a pinch, you could use it).
- Saute the onion in one ounce of butter over medium heat till softened, then remove from heat and add the peppers, tomatoes and fish fillets cut into pieces; add the peanut mixture, the oregano and the sugar and mix well.
- Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Bring 3 and 1/2 cups of water to boil with 2 ounces of butter, some grated pepper and one teaspoon of manteca(annato oil); as soon as it boils, add the three grated plantains and cook, stirring frequently until a smooth and relatively thick mixture forms.
- Place half the plantain mixture in the prepared pan, smoothing it out so that the bottom of the baking dish is covered.
- Layer the fish mixture on top and then cover the fish mixture with the remaining plantain paste.
- In a saute pan over medium high heat, melt the remaining four ounces of butter and teaspoon of manteca; add the one remaining grated plantain and saute until well mixed.
- Spread this mixture over the top of the casserole.
- Bake the casserole until brown, about one hour.
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