Marinated Fish- Pescada em Vinha d'Alhos

By amaliana

Portuguesr Homestyle cooking- Ana Patuleia Martins
Adding cider vinegar to the marinade gives this dish extra zing. Marinate no more than 1 hour before cooking.

Ingredients

• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup white wine or lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 scant teaspoon white pepper
• 2 pounds hake or red snapper fillets with skins intact ( or use halibut or swordfish, if grilling)
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 cup yellow or white corn flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten(optional)
• olive or corn oil as needed for frying

Preparation

Step 1

1. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with the salt, forming a paste. Transfer the paste to a 9x13-inch ceramic or glass dish and whisk in the wine or lemon juice, and. Vinegar, followed by the olive oil,bay leaf,and pepper.
2. Rinse the fish with water and pat dry. Add the fish to the marinade, turn to coat and refrigerate, covered, for 1hour, turning occasionally.
3. Drain the marinade from the fish. If you are grilling the fish, reserve the marinade(see aviation that follows). Coat the fish with the corn flour. Shake off e cess any e cess. Dip the fish into the beaten eggs, if using.
4. Immediately fry the fish in very hot oil until golden(about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish) or desired done ness.place on a serving platter, cover lightly, and keep warm. Serve the fish with vinegar sauce. Boiled potatoes drizzled with some of the vinegar sauce are a traditional accompaniment.
Variation:
If you prefer to grill your fish, use steaks that are 1 inch thick. Cook over very hot charcoal and baste periodically with the reserved marinade heated in a saucepan. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, turning only once.
Note:
Another way fried fish is enjoyed is when it's fresh off the boat. Then it is sometimes cleaned and cut into chunks, seasoned asin the recipe above, and deep fried.