Pescado a la Fish Grill

Created with Daniel & Ivan and inspired by the iconic Pescado a la Talla of Mexico City, this recipe pairs a smoky red adobo with a fresh, herbaceous green sauce, all brought together on our Fish Grill. Serve it straight from the grill with warm tortillas, rice and beans, and plenty of fresh lime!

Every time we visit Mexico City, dinner at Contramar is non-negotiable. It is simply one of the greatest seafood restaurants in the city, and their Pescado a la Talla, a grilled red snapper brushed with a smoky chili adobo on one side and a bright, herby green sauce on the other, is the dish we dream about long after we leave. For a long time it felt like something we could only experience in CDMX, but we went ahead and recreated a version back home with ingredients you can easily find at your local market. It is just as flavorful, built for a crowd, and honestly one of the most impressive things to bring to the table.

2 pounds tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons avocado oil (for brushing the fish grill)

Red Adobo Sauce
3 chiles ancho, seeds removed
1 chile guajillo, seeds removed
3 chiles de arbol, seeds removed
5 roma tomatoes
1/2 a white onion
6 garlic cloves
3 whole cloves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons achiote powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

Green Sauce
1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
4 green onion stems, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 oz of lime juice
1 pinch salt and pepper

1. Make the green sauce: Place the cilantro, parsley, roughly chopped, and green onion stems into the Peugeot Appolia with a pinch of salt. Grind until you form a paste. Once you reach that point, slowly drizzle in olive oil and lime juice and continue working it until it emulsifies into a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Make the red sauce: place the chile anchos, chile guajillo, and chiles de arbol, in a saucepan and cover with 1 cup of water over low heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat, cover the pan, and let the chiles soak and soften for 15 minutes
3. Transfer the chiles and their soaking water to a blender, add in tomatoes, white onion, garlic cloves, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, freshly squeezed lime juice, whole cloves, achiote powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and kosher salt. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Pro tip: this sauce also works beautifully as a marinade for chicken or any other protein.
4. Prep the fish: Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of each fillet in a crosshatch pattern. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
5. Sauce the fillets: On each individual fillet, spread the red adobo sauce generously over one half and the green sauce over the other half. The two sauces should meet in the middle but not mix, this is what makes the dish so stunning on the table.
6. Grill the fish: Preheat your fish grill on the grill over medium heat and brush the cooking surface with avocado oil. Place the fillets on the fish grill sauce side up and close the lid. Cook until the fish is opaque and almost cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes

Take the fish grill directly to the table, it makes for a beautiful presentation! Serve alongside rice and beans, warm tortillas, and your favorite salsas. Do not forget to squeeze a little lime juice on top before you take that first bite, provecho!