Grilled Mexican Snapper with Cilantro, Chile and Cucumber Tiradito-Style Sauce

Summer is all about quick and easy meals, and this fish dish fits that bill to a “T.” Although the recipe calls for Mexican snapper, any lean, white fish filet will work— cod, halibut, sole, yellowtail, albacore, or even scallops, can be substituted with great results. While I like to pan-sear the fish on colder summer days, grilling your protein outside on the “que” makes this dish even easier since there is very little cleanup—always a plus on the dog days of summer.

The fish is dressed in a refreshing citrus, cucumber and chile sauce reminiscent of the spicy sauce served with Tiradito, aka Peruvian sashimi. In Peru, raw fish is cut into ¼-inch sashimi-style slices, which are plated and sauced right before serving. Lime juice, shallots or red onions, and Aji Amarillo, a bright yellow, moderately spicy chili, are its traditional ingredients. A multi-cultural standout fish dish, Tiradito is often paired with boiled corn or new potatoes and is considered by many to be an iconic example of their Nikkei cuisine—Peruvian ingredients shaped by Japanese techniques.

Grilled Mexican Snapper with Cilantro, Chile and Cucumber Tiradito-Style Sauce
Serves: 2 as a main; 4 as an appetizer

Ingredients

For the Tiradito-Style Sauce (makes 1 cup):
½ hothouse English cucumber, cut into 1-inch dice
1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only
Juice of 3 limes, about 3 tablespoons
3-4 tablespoons distilled or filtered water
½ large shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 serrano chile
1 jalapeno chile
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

Place all ingredients into a high-efficiency blender, and process until smooth—about 10 seconds. Add olive oil and purée for 1-2 seconds. Pour sauce into a container, and place in the refrigerator for about 3 hours or until icy cold.

For the Mexican snapper:
2 large filets of wild-caught Mexican snapper
½ tablespoons Paul Prudhommes’s seafood or fish Creole seasoning blend
Avocado oil cooking spray

Directions

Rinse fish in salted water and pat dry with a paper towel. Place fish on a large paper plate and sprinkle Paul Prudhommes’s seafood or fish Creole seasoning over filets, then spray with avocado cooking spray.

Heat a cast iron griddle or skillet on high heat till almost smoking. Add fish and do not move until a crust has formed—about 2-3 minutes. Spray fish again and turn over with a fish spatula and continue cooking until fish is opaque and done—about 1-2 minutes more.

Ladle 2-3 tablespoons of tiradito sauce on a serving plate and splay it outwards with the back of a large spoon. Place the grilled fish on top of the sauce and serve with steamed new potatoes or corn and extra sauce on the side.