Okay, so I tried making this Brazilian fish stew thing called Moqueca Capixaba the other day. I saw it online and it looked pretty good, so I figured, why not? It’s basically fish and veggies cooked up with some oil and spices. I’m no chef, but I like trying new things in the kitchen.
First off, I got my hands on some sea bass. The recipe I found said sea bass or cod would work, and I went with sea bass. I patted the fillets dry – you know, just used some paper towels to get the excess water off. Then I put them in a bowl.
Next, I mixed up some stuff to pour over the fish. I squeezed some limes, chopped up these little spicy peppers called malagueta peppers – be careful with those, they’re pretty hot! – and threw in some minced garlic and salt. I mixed all that together and poured it over the fish, giving it a good toss to make sure everything was coated. Then I let it sit in the fridge to marinate for a bit. That’s supposed to let the flavors sink in.
While the fish was doing its thing in the fridge, I started chopping up the veggies. I used onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers. I just chopped them up into bite-sized pieces, nothing fancy. I also chopped up some cilantro, ’cause that’s what the recipe called for.
After a while, I got out a big pot – a Dutch oven, I think it’s called? – and heated up some olive oil in it. Then I tossed in the onions and cooked them until they were soft. I added the bell peppers and tomatoes and cooked those for a few minutes too, just to soften them up a bit.
Then came the fish. I took it out of the fridge and put the fillets into the pot, on top of the veggies. I poured the rest of the marinade over the fish, then added a bit of water to the pot – just enough to almost cover the fish. I sprinkled in some annatto for color. It gives it a reddish tint, I guess.
I brought the whole thing to a simmer, then covered the pot and let it cook for a while. I think it was about 20 minutes? Just until the fish was cooked through and flaky. You don’t want to overcook it, or it’ll get all dry and tough.
Here’s a breakdown of the steps I took:
- Pat fish fillets dry.
- Mix lime juice, malagueta peppers, garlic, and salt.
- Pour mixture over fish and marinate.
- Chop onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cilantro.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot.
- Sauté onions until soft.
- Add bell peppers and tomatoes, cook for a few minutes.
- Place fish on top of veggies in the pot.
- Pour remaining marinade over fish.
- Add water and annatto to the pot.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until fish is done.
The Result
When it was done, I sprinkled the chopped cilantro over the top and served it up. It actually turned out pretty good! The fish was nice and tender, and the sauce had a good flavor – a little tangy, a little spicy, and definitely savory. I served it with some rice, which soaked up the sauce nicely.
It wasn’t too hard to make, either. Just a bit of chopping and some simmering. I’d probably make it again sometime. Maybe next time I’ll try it with cod. If you’re looking for something different to try, give it a shot. You might like it!
