Xec (pronounced “shek”) is a sweet, sour, juicy citrus salsa from Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and it makes a brilliant match with almost any kind of fish, cooked almost any kind of way. The combination here — orange, grapefruit, lemon — is not traditional to Mayan cooking, nor is it a mandate. Add lime if you have it, a bitter orange if you can find it. Don’t skip the minced habanero, though, which adds a bit of heat and yet more flavor. The fish starts on the stove for a few minutes, and is soon moved to the oven to finish cooking, for a total time of less than 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 1 small grapefruit
- 1 large lemon
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ habanero or other chili, seeded and minced, or to taste
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 red snapper fillets, 4 to 6 ounces each, preferably skin on (and scaled)
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
246 calories; 9 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 52 milligrams cholesterol; 94 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
4 servings
Preparation
- Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut orange in half horizontally and section it as you would a grapefruit; do this over a bowl to capture all its juice. Remove seeds and combine flesh and juice in bowl. Repeat with grapefruit and lemon. Stir in cilantro, habanero and salt.
- Put oil in a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. A minute later, add fish, skin side down; season top with salt. Cook until skin begins to crisp, 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to oven. Cook another 3 or 4 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife meets little resistance when inserted into thickest part of fish. Serve fish with xec, immediately.
15 minutes
Dining and Cooking