Best Cuban Style Grilled Fish Recipes

SEA BASS CUBAN STYLE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until soft. Stir in garlic, and saute about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in wine, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes. Heat to a simmer.
• Place sea bass into sauce. Cover, and gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Transfer fish to a serving plate, and keep warm.
• Increase the heat, and add butter to sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in cilantro. Serve sauce over fish.

WHOLE BAKED FISH CUBAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Rinse the fish well under cold running water and pat dry on both sides as well as inside the cavity. Make several slits about 1/3-inch deep on both sides of the fish. Place the fish in a non-reactive shallow dish or platter and pour the lime juice over the fish. Set aside while you continue with the preparations.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rub the bottom of a shallow glass or ceramic dish large enough to hold the fish with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Saute 1/2 of the onion slices and 1/2 of the pepper slices in 2 tablespoons olive oil and then place along the bottom of the baking dish. Tear 2 of the bay leaves into small pieces and sprinkle over the vegetables. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons more of the remaining Spanish olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, to taste, and crushed red pepper flakes. Place the fish on top of the sliced vegetables.
• Using a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic, kosher salt and oregano and mash to form a paste. Spread the garlic paste inside the cavity of the fish and into the slits on top. Place the remaining bay leaf inside the cavity of the fish. In the same small bowl that you used to make the garlic paste, combine the tomato puree and vinegar and stir to combine. Pour this tomato mixture all over the fish. Top with the remaining onion and pepper slices and drizzle the remaining olive oil and the wine over the top. Season again with salt and black pepper, cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, and bake until the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork, 45 to 50 minutes. Garnish with the parsley and serve hot or warm, with the pan juices drizzled over all.

CUBAN-STYLE TILAPIA SALAD

Steps:

• In 1-cup glass measuring cup, beat all dressing ingredients with wire whisk.
• Set oven control to broil. On rack in broiler pan, place fish; spray tops of fish with cooking spray. Sprinkle tops of fish with 2 tablespoons lime juice and the seasoned salt. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.
• Meanwhile, on each of 4 plates, arrange 1 cup salad greens. Divide pineapple among plates. Place fish on or next to greens. Sprinkle greens and fish with mint. Serve with dressing.

SPICY GRILLED TUNA, CUBAN STYLE

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, cumin, and about 3/4 of the cilantro (reserve the remaining cilantro for garnish).
• Place the tuna fillet in a large glass or ceramic dish. Rub your fingers over the fish to check for and remove any remaining bones, and pour the marinade over the tuna. Make sure the fish are evenly coated on both sides and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator, turning once.
• Brush a grill or broiler pan with vegetable oil and heat it to high heat. Grill the fillets for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until done to your liking. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and the lemon wedges.

PLATTER OF SHRIMP WITH GARLICKY CUBAN MOJO (FUENTE DE CAMARONES AL AJILLO)

Steps:

• Prepare the mojo
• Make a wet garlic paste by mashing the garlic cloves with salt in a mortar and pestle. If you do not have one, you can use a cup and the back of a wooden spoon; otherwise, simply sprinkle the garlic with the salt and use your knife to chop it very finely into a paste.
• Place the garlic paste in a small bowl and pour the lime juice and orange juice over it. Allow the mixture to sit for 20 minutes.
• Place the olive oil in a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat. (This can be done on your grill or on your stove.) When small bubbles begin to rise to the surface of the oil, carefully add the garlic and citrus mixture to the pan (the oil will sizzle a bit, so be careful that it does not splatter on you). Give the mixture a quick stir and allow to cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute before removing from the heat. Set aside.
• Season and grill the shrimp
• Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and drizzle the vegetable oil over them. Liberally season with salt and pepper and toss well. It's best to use your hands for this, as you want to make sure the oil and seasonings get inside the slits you made in the shrimp.
• Heat your grill to high (550°F) and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to medium-high (450°F) and continuing. Oil the grill grates with a vegetable oil-soaked paper towel held with a long pair of tongs.
• It is important to properly place the shrimp on the grill so that they cook quickly and evenly. Again, it is best to use your hands for this. Holding the shrimp by its tail, place the butterflied shrimp on the grill one by one, slit side down. Curl the tail down toward the head of the shrimp. Close the lid and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the flesh of the shrimp has turned white and is no longer translucent. You will not need to turn the shrimp over.
• Serve the shrimp and mojo
• Mound the grilled shrimp on a large platter and garnish with lime wedges. Serve with the garlicky mojo for your guests to use as a dipping sauce.

GRILLED CUBAN SANDWICH (SANDWICH CUBANO)

Steps:

• Assemble the sandwich
• Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the bread loaf and a thin layer of mustard on the other. Place 1 to 2 layers of ham, pork, cheese, and, finally, pickles on the buttered bread and top with the mustard-spread bread.
• Wrap the sandwich in foil
• Smear the remaining butter all over the outside of the sandwich and wrap it completely in aluminum foil.
• Press and grill the sandwich
• Heat your grill to high (550°F) and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to medium-high (450°F) and continuing.
• Before grilling the sandwich, press down on it with your hands to flatten it. Place the wrapped, flattened sandwich on the grill and top with a brick, grill press, or any other heavy, heat-resistant object. Close the lid and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
• Remove the wrapped sandwich from the grill and take off the foil. Return the sandwich to the grill and grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until both pieces of bread are crispy and golden brown.
• Slice and serve
• Remove the sandwich from the grill and cut at an angle into small sandwich wedges (triangles). Place on a large platter and serve while still hot.

GRILLED FISH HAVANA STYLE - PESCADO DE HABANA

Steps:

• Simply run all the marinade ingredients through the food processor, until onions are chopped fine.
• Place filets in shallow baking dish and pour marinade on top and cover.
• Marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours, but NO LONGER! Otherwise, you will have pickled fish.
• Oil grill well, get it hot and ready or with a gas grill fully flamed and sizziling.
• Just before grilling, remove filets from marinade and pat dry with paper toweling.
• Rub a little olive oil on the fleshy side of fish and place on grill, skin side up just long enough to put some nice grill marks on the flesh.
• Carefully, use a steel spatula to flip filets skin side down.
• Flip the filets once and once only.
• Cover the grill and continue cooking until fish flakes with a fork.
• Keep an eye on them, so they don't burn.
• Salt and coarse black freshly ground pepper, to taste.
• 3/4 lb per person.