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Puerto Rico · Porgy

Griddled Porgy with Green Mojo

Pluma a la Plancha con Mojo Verde

At the seafood kiosks of Joyuda and Boquerón, a whole pluma comes off the hot griddle with a crisp skin and a bright green mojo of culantro, garlic and lime spooned over the top.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 20 min
  • Serves 2–4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Juan Emilio Prades Bel · CC BY-SA 4.0
Served with: Puerto Rican Mofongo ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the green mojo

Method

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

  1. Make the mojo. Blend or pound all the mojo ingredients into a coarse green sauce. Taste for salt and set aside; it can be made a few hours ahead.
  2. Season the fish. Cut 3 deep slashes on each side down to the bone. Rub with the cut lime, then with the salt, pepper and adobo, getting into the slashes. Let it sit 10 minutes.
  3. Heat the griddle. Heat a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with the oil until shimmering.
  4. Griddle. Pat the fish dry and lay it down. Cook 6–8 minutes without moving it, until the skin is crisp and releases. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and cook 6–7 minutes more, until the meat is white at the bone.
  5. Serve. Put the fish on plates, spoon plenty of green mojo over and into the slashes, and serve with mofongo and lime.

On the side

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

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican Mofongo

Mofongo

Fried green plantains pounded in a pilón with garlic and crispy chicharrón, shaped into a dome. Along the coast it comes with fish or shrimp in a garlicky sauce poured over.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 20 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Medium

You need

  • 4 green plantains
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup chicharrón (pork cracklings) or crisp bacon, crumbled
  • ½ cup warm chicken or fish broth

How to make it

  1. Fry the plantains. Peel the plantains and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Fry at 350 °F (175 °C) for 6–8 minutes until golden outside and cooked through but not crisp. Drain.
  2. Garlic paste. In a pilón (mortar), mash the garlic with the salt and olive oil into a paste.
  3. Pound. Working in batches while the plantains are hot, add a few pieces and some chicharrón to the garlic and pound until mashed but still a bit chunky. Add a spoonful of broth if it is dry.
  4. Shape. Press each portion into a small bowl to make a dome and turn it out onto a plate. Serve hot with the fish and its sauce.

Photo: Sen166 · CC BY-SA 4.0

More ways to cook Porgy

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Setúbal, PortugalPortuguese Butterflied Grilled Porgy
Amalfi Coast, ItalyPorgy in Crazy Water
Florianópolis, BrazilBrazilian Home-Style Fish Stew