Sudado de Pescado

Sounds fancier than it is. It's really just fish and chile stew. It is a magical stew of magicness. Yes, I know that's not really a word, but it seems apt. Sudado de pescado was the second Peruvian dish we made in a week; a first for this household.



Sudado de Pescado is a simple stew, seasoned with tomato, garlic, onions, and chiles, represents a typical way of preparing fish throughout northern Peru. This version comes from two sources, Miriam Soles, the wife of a fisherman in the village of Huanchaquito, and the Isla sisters, the cooks at Restaurante El Caribe in Huanchaco. It's healthy and packed with flavor. If you plan to serve it to children, sub green bell peppers for the chiles. I served it with roasted sweet potatoes and quinoa.

2 lbs. boneless skinless grouper or catfish fillets, cut into 6pieces
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice plus 6 lime halves
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
8 fresh Anaheim, Holland, or banana chiles (4 seeded and chopped, 4 thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
1 medium red onion, halved and cut into 1/2" slices
2 large plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 peeled and roasted sweet potatoes with oil, salt and pepper to taste


1. Put the fish, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper into a large bowl; toss gently to combine.Let grouper marinate at room temperature while you continue with the rest of the preparation. Purée the chopped chiles and 1/3 cup water in a blender until smooth. Set the chile purée aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Carefully add reserved chile purée and cook for 2 minutes. Add onions and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 5 minutes. Gently lay grouper fillets in skillet, along with marinade and 1 cup hot water, and stir liquid gently to combine. Top fillets evenly with remaining chiles and tomatoes and sprinkle with oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until fish fillets are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide fish fillets between 6 shallow bowls, along with the liquid. Serve immediately with quinoa, lime halves and sweet potato.