At Tino’s, one of the famous fish zarandeado places near Puerto Vallarta, they split the fish in half from head to tail, richly marinate the two sides, then flip them in a hinged basket over a smoldering wood fire until charred in spots, aromatic and succulent. Because that kind of filleting requires a very sharp knife, a fair amount of practice and a lot of confidence, I’ve written this recipe for a simpler zarandeado fish taco made with fillets.
The strong Asian influence along Mexico’s west coast surfaces in what most researchers consider the original marinade created in Nayarit on the island of Mexcaltitán: soy, garlic, lime, salt, pepper and, for some reason, achiote, the emblematic spice of far-off Yucatan. For most cooks nowadays, that recipe has evolved into something quite different, one that’s based on the richness of mayonnaise (sometimes with a spoonful of mustard) mixed with the local hot Huichol hot sauce. Often, no soy remains, or achiote for that matter. But garlic always plays big in pescado zarandeado.
The marinade I offer here is, I believe, a very satisfying nod in both directions: the luxurious texture of mayonnaise, the umami deliciousness of soy, the complex spiciness of Huichol hot sauce, and the pure pleasure of roasted garlic. If you love to gild marinade recipes, feel free to add a little Mexican oregano and paprika.
Fish zarandeado is always cooked in a hinged basket for easy flipping (which the Spanish name of the dish implies). Those baskets are easily available online (even well-stocked grocery stores carry them). Lacking one, simply grill the fish on well-oiled grill grates.
INGREDIENTS
- 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing or spraying
- Salt
- 1 1/2 pounds fish fillets that are about 1 inch thick (snapper, grouper, bass, mahi and corvina are all common and good choices–preferably skin on for best flavor)
- 1/4 cup good-quality mayonnaise
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (optional)
- 1 tablespoon soy
- 2 tablespoons Huichol (or other Mexican) hot sauce, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 12 warm corn tortillas
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced and rinsed under cold water, for serving
- 2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving
- Finishing salt (like Maldon), for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
Marinate the fish. In a dry skillet over medium heat, roast the unpeeled garlic, turning regularly, until blackened in spots and soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then peel off the papery skins. In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, olive oil and 1 teaspoon table salt, and process to coarse puree. Lay out the fish on a baking sheet or pan, skin-side down. Every couple of inches make ½-inch-deep slashes crosswise in the fish to allow flavorings to penetrate and ensure even cooking. Sprinkle with salt (both sides, even down in the slashes), then scoop out half of the garlic mixture and spread it evenly over the top, bottom and sides of the fish.
To the blender or processor, add the mayonnaise, optional mustard, soy, hot sauce, lime juice, and black pepper. Spread the marinade evenly over all sides of the fish.
Grill and serve. Turn on a gas grill to medium-high or light a wood or charcoal fire and let it burn until you have a hot bed of coals covered with white ash. When quite hot, heat the basket over the fire for a few minutes. Brush or spray the basket generously with oil. Spray or lightly brush the fish with oil, then lay the oiled-side down on the basket; spray or brush the other side. Close the basket and lay over the fire with the fish skin-side down. Cook, turning every 2 or 3 minutes, until the fish is cooked through but still juicy—an inch-thick fillet typically takes 8 to 10 minutes. Gently and carefully open the basket and remove the fish to a platter. Sprinkle with salt, then serve with warm tortillas, red onion, lime and extra hot sauce for making very tasty tacos.
