Moqueca
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs mahi-mahi or snapper fillets, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz bay scallops
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup palm oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, whole (for heat)
Instructions
- Heat palm oil in a large, heavy-bottomed clay pot or shallow braising pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes and red bell pepper, cooking for 4 minutes until peppers begin to soften. Season with 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper.
- Layer the mahi-mahi chunks evenly over the vegetable base. Nestle shrimp and scallops around the fish without stirring. Pour coconut milk evenly over the seafood. Place whole Scotch bonnet pepper on top (do not puncture it—it provides heat through infusion). Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Cover with a lid or foil and braise for 15-18 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork and shrimp are opaque throughout. The liquid should simmer gently, not boil aggressively.
- Remove from heat. Carefully remove the whole chili pepper with tongs. Stir in lime juice, remaining 1/2 tsp sea salt, and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Fold in fresh cilantro and parsley gently to preserve the texture of the seafood.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lime juice or salt if needed. Serve family-style directly from the pot with warm white rice or crusty bread to soak up the broth. Serve immediately while the seafood is at peak tenderness.
Inspired by Emme Riberio Collins’s winning moqueca. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.