Puerto Rico | Fish & Seafood | Olives | Summer

Mojo Isleño

(Puerto Rican fish with tomato-olive sauce)

Yield: 4-6 servings


INGREDIENTS PREP AMOUNT
Olive oil   1/4 cup
Onion chopped 1 each
Bell pepper chopped 1 each
Garlic minced 4-6 cloves
Tomatoes peeled, seeded, diced 2 cups
Vinegar, red wine 2 Tbsp
Olives, green pitted 1/4 cup
Capers rinsed 1 Tbsp
Bay leaf 1-2 each
Salt & pepper   to taste
 
Olive oil 1/4 cup
Fish filets cut in serving size 2 lbs
Salt & pepper   to taste

METHOD

Basic Steps: Sauté → Simmer → Fry
  1. Heat the first 1/4 cup olive oil in a saucepan over medium flame. Add the onions and peppers and sauté till onions are translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes.
  2. Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, olives, capers, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until somewhat reduced.
  3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high flame. Season the fish with salt and pepper and sauté on both sides until both sides are lightly browned.
  4. Pour the prepared sauce over the fish and simmer until the fish is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.

VARIATIONS

  • Substitute pimentos for the chopped bell pepper. Add at the same time as the tomatoes.
  • Marinate the fish in some minced garlic and lime juice before frying if you like.
  • The fish can also be grilled and the sauce served on the side.

NOTES

  • Mojo isleño is a popular way to prepare fish in Puerto Rico. It's name can be translated as "island sauce", and its components - olives, peppers, garlic and bay leaves - are typically Puerto Rican.