Banana-Leaf Fish (Empapelado de Pescado)
This recipe, adapted from Tu Casa Mi Casa by Enrique Olvera, Luis Arellano, Gonzalo Goût and Daniela Soto-Innes, is much simpler to execute than you might think. The ingredients are few and basic: A great fish fillet (we used striped bass farmed off of Baja), slices of citrus, herbs, salt, olive oil and banana leaves to wrap them in, tamal-style. Make the banana leaf pliable by holding it over an open flame or pressing on a hot pan; it turns beautifully emerald green before your eyes. Salt the fish, layer it with citrus and herbs, drizzle with oil, fold it up and shove it in the oven. That’s it. The flavor is exquisite. The book recommends serving it with tortillas and a raw salsa; pico de gallo works beautifully.
It’s easy to scale this recipe up or down as you like, or switch up the herbs. Tu Casa Mi Casa’s original calls for epazaote, cilantro, mint and lamb’s quarter; we skipped the lamb’s quarter and threw in a bit more of everything else.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
4 large squares (about 10 inches/25 cm) of banana leaf
1 skinless striped bass or sea bass fillet (or other not-too-oily, meaty fish)
Salt
1 Key lime, sliced thin
1 lemon, sliced thin
6 sprigs fresh epazote
6 sprigs cilantro
6 sprigs fresh mint
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using tongs, hold a banana leaf 4 inches above an open flame until changes color, less than a minute (it will turn a brighter green). If using an electric stove, heat a large dry frying pan or griddle and press the leaves on the hot surface in quick intervals until they change color; just be careful not to brown them or dry them out. Repeat for the rest of the leaves.
2. Portion the fish into 4 equal pieces and season generously on both sides with salt. Remove the leaves from the herbs, discarding the stems. Divide half of the lime and lemon slices and herbs and place them onto the center of each banana leaf. Top with the fish, then top with the remaining citrus and herbs. Drizzle each with a tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Wrap the packets like tamales, as shown: Fold the top down halfway over the fish, then fold the bottom up to cover; fold the flap on the left halfway over the package, then fold the right flap to the middle. Flip the package over, seam-side down, and it’s ready. Repeat for the other three.
4. Place the four packets on a baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, or until the fish feels tender to the touch. Serve immediately in its wrapper, letting each person unwrap their own. Serve with tortillas and a fresh salsa.
How to wrap the fish tamal-style: 1) Place the citrus, herbs and fish fillet in the center of the banana leaf square. 2) Fold the top down halfway over the fish. 3) Fold the bottom up to cover. 4) Fold the flap on the left halfway over the package. 5) Fold the right flap to the middle. 6) Flip the package over, seam-side down, and it’s ready.
Banana Leaf Fish
Ingredients
- 4 large squares (about 10 inches/25 cm) of banana leaf
- 1 skinless striped bass or sea bass fillet (or other not-too-oily, meaty fish)
- Salt
- 1 Key lime, sliced thin
- 1 lemon, sliced thin
- 6 sprigs fresh epazote
- 6 sprigs cilantro
- 6 sprigs fresh mint
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using tongs, hold a banana leaf 4 inches above an open flame until changes color, less than a minute (it will turn a brighter green). If using an electric stove, heat a large dry frying pan or griddle and press the leaves on the hot surface in quick intervals until they change color; just be careful not to brown them or dry them out. Repeat for the rest of the leaves.
- Portion the fish into 4 equal pieces and season generously on both sides with salt. Remove the leaves from the herbs, discarding the stems. Divide half of the lime and lemon slices and herbs and place them onto the center of each banana leaf. Top with the fish, then top with the remaining citrus and herbs. Drizzle each with a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Wrap the packets like tamales, as shown: Fold the top down halfway over the fish, then fold the bottom up to cover; fold the flap on the left halfway over the package, then fold the right flap to the middle. Flip the package over, seam-side down, and it’s ready. Repeat for the other three.
- Place the four packets on a baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, or until the fish feels tender to the touch. Serve immediately in its wrapper, letting each person unwrap their own. Serve with tortillas and a fresh salsa.
