Spain · Lionfish

Griddled Lionfish with Garlic-Paprika Oil

Name: Griddled Lionfish with Garlic-Paprika Oil
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Galicia, Spain
Ingredients: 1½ lb (700 g) lionfish fillets; 1 tsp coarse sea salt; 1 tbsp olive oil, for the griddle; ½ cup olive oil; 5 garlic cloves, sliced thin; 1½ tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce); ¼ tsp hot paprika (pimentón picante), optional; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or cider vinegar; 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Pez León a la Plancha con Ajada

In Galicia almost every fish ends up with ajada: hot olive oil poured over fried garlic and smoky pimentón. On sweet griddled lionfish fillets it is about as simple and good as fish gets.

Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4
Level Easy

Photo: Javier Leiva (www.moverelbigote.com) from Vic, Barcelona · CC BY 2.0

Served with: Galician Paprika Potatoes ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

1½ lb (700 g) lionfish fillets
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil, for the griddle

For the ajada

½ cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1½ tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)
¼ tsp hot paprika (pimentón picante), optional
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Method

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

Salt the fish. Pat the fillets very dry and sprinkle both sides with the coarse salt. Let them sit 10 minutes while the griddle heats.
Heat the plancha. Heat a griddle or heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until a drop of water dances on it. Wipe it with the tablespoon of oil.
Griddle. Lay the fillets down and cook 2–3 minutes without moving them, until golden underneath. Turn and cook 1–2 minutes more, just until the meat flakes.
Make the ajada. Warm the ½ cup oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and fry the garlic until pale gold, about 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, wait 30 seconds, then stir in both paprikas and the vinegar.
Serve. Spoon the hot ajada over the fish, scatter with parsley and serve with cachelos to soak up the red oil.

On the side

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

Galicia, Spain

Galician Paprika Potatoes

Cachelos

Chunky boiled potatoes dressed with olive oil, sweet paprika and coarse salt. In Galicia they go under octopus and next to every hake and cod.

Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4
Level Easy

You need

2 lb (900 g) waxy potatoes (Kennebec or Yukon Gold)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp salt, for the water
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika (pimentón)
Coarse sea salt to finish

How to make it

Cut rustic. Peel the potatoes and cut them into big irregular chunks about 2 inches (5 cm), snapping the last part of each cut so the edges are rough.
Boil. Cover with cold water, add the bay leaf and salt and simmer 18–20 minutes until just tender. Drain.
Dress. Lay on a wooden board or platter, sprinkle with coarse salt and paprika and drizzle the olive oil over everything.

Photo: juantiagues · CC BY-SA 2.0

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