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Spain · Amberjack

Canarian Fish Sancocho

Sancocho Canario

The Canary Islands’ classic for Good Friday and family lunches: salted fish poached with potatoes and sweet potatoes and served with a fiery red mojo picón. Lightly salting fresh amberjack yourself gives the same firm, savory bite.

  • Prep 20 min + 6 hours salting
  • Cook 35 min
  • Serves 4–6
  • Level Medium
Photo: Laube Leal · CC BY-SA 4.0
Served with: Cuban Avocado Salad ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the pot

For the mojo picón

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Salt the fish. Bury the fish pieces in the coarse salt in a glass dish, cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. The fish will firm up and give off liquid.
  2. Rinse. Rinse off all the salt, then soak the fish in cold water 30 minutes, changing the water once. Taste a tiny raw corner: it should be pleasantly seasoned, not salty.
  3. Boil the vegetables. Put the potatoes, sweet potatoes, onion, bay leaves and thyme in a big pot, cover with water by 1 inch (2.5 cm) and boil 15 minutes. Do not salt the water.
  4. Poach the fish. Lay the fish on top of the vegetables, lower the heat and simmer gently 10–12 minutes until the fish flakes and the potatoes are tender.
  5. Make the mojo picón. Pound the garlic, cumin and coarse salt into a paste, then the paprikas. Slowly work in the olive oil, vinegar and water until thick and red.
  6. Serve. Drain everything and arrange the fish, potatoes and sweet potatoes on a platter. Spoon mojo picón over the fish and serve with an avocado salad.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Cuba

Cuban Avocado Salad

Ensalada de Aguacate

Thick slices of buttery Caribbean avocado with sweet onion, oil and vinegar. Nothing fancy, just the cool salad on every Cuban table beside fried fish and rice.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 0 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 1 large Caribbean avocado (or 2 Hass avocados), ripe but firm
  • ½ small sweet onion, very thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar or lime juice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Black pepper

How to make it

  1. Soften the onion. Toss the onion slices with the vinegar and a pinch of salt and leave 5 minutes to mellow.
  2. Slice the avocado. Halve and pit the avocado, peel it and cut it into thick slices or chunks. Lay them on a plate.
  3. Dress. Scatter the onion over the avocado, then drizzle with the olive oil and any vinegar left in the bowl.
  4. Season. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve right away.

Photo: Nowforever · CC BY-SA 4.0

More ways to cook Amberjack

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Lima, PeruPeruvian Amberjack Anticuchos
Jacmel, HaitiHaitian Poached Fish in Lime and Pepper Broth
Messina, Sicily, ItalyGrilled Amberjack with Salmoriglio