PAN DE CAZÓN CAMPECHE MÉXICO

Prepare to be transported to the Yucatan Peninsula, with this iconic dish «Pan De Cazon» from the Citi of Campeche, a Short stack of corn tortillas, filled with refried beans, smoked flaky fish,

 and smothered with a flavorful tomato sauce, Enjoy! 

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Serves 4 or 2 hungry Campechanos Course Main Course Cuisine Mexican Prep Time 1 hour Cook Time 45 minutes Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes Author Mariana McEnroe

Ingredients

• 16 – 4”-5” in diameter homemade corn tortillas preferable*
• 1 lb. Cazon aka Dogfish, or Red Snapper, Cod or Halibut**
• 2 cups refried black beans***
• 3 cups Chiltomate sauce

Garnish with:

• Charred habaneros
• Avocado slices****
• Pickled red onions

For the pickled onions:

• 1 medium red onion
• the juice of 1 medium lime
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ teaspoon Sea salt
• 1 habanero small diced

For the Refried Beans:

• 2 cups of black beans
• ½ diced white onion
• 5-6 leaves of epazote or Texas Marigold

For the Fish:

• 1 lb. Pan de Cazón aka Dogfish or Red Snapper, Cod or Halibut will work too.
• 1 small onion half finely chopped, half on wedges
• 2 garlic cloves halved 2 garlic cloves diced
• 1 medium tomato diced
• 6-8 Texas Marigold fresh leaves or 2-3 fresh epazote leaves.

For the Chiltomate Sauce:

• 2 pounds Roma tomatoes
• ½ small white onion
• 1 habanero pepper
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 12-16 medium-large leaves of fresh Texas Marigold or 4-5 Fresh epazote leaves and omit oregano.
• 2 pinches of dry Mexican oregano rub it into your fingers to pulverize and unlock its aroma.
• ½ teaspoon to a teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoon safflower oil

Instructions

Start by preparing the quick pickled onions:

1. Thinly slice the red onions, rinse them well with cold water. Place them in a small bowl add the rest of the ingredients toss well with the help of two forks, let them marinate for at least 20-30 minutes.

Prepare the fish:

1. On a small pan place the fresh fish fillet, along with ½ white onion in wedges, 2-3 Texas marigold sprigs, a pinch of oregano, one garlic, ½ teaspoon sea salt and 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid bring to a barely simmer, and cook until the flesh is white about 5-7 minutes. Remove the lid every now and then and baste the fish with its own broth. Once is cooked, carefully transfer the fish to a plate and save the broth. You will use it into the sauce and when sauteing the fish.
2. On a saute pan, heat up 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, add the other half diced onions. Sweat the onions, add diced garlic, add diced tomatoes, salt and the marigold leaves torn into pieces. Saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the shredded fish, toss well and add about ½ cup of the broth in which the fish was cooked in. Briefly cook for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Set aside.

Refried Black Beans:

1. Re-fry 2 cups of black beans along with ½ diced white onion, and 5-6 leaves of epazote or Texas Marigold Mint. Add extra bean broth to leave the beans on a loose consistency. If you need instructions on how to make your black beans check my “Mexican Bean Manifesto”

Make the Chiltomate Sauce:

1. Roast the tomatoes, onion, habanero on a baking pan in a 450F degree oven for about 8-12 minutes or until the tomatoes are chard and blistered, and onions have charred edges.
2. Using a fork and a knife de-seed and devein the habanero. Be very careful not to touch the habanero directly with your hands. This chile is extremely spicy and all the concentrated heat is on the seeds. So use a fork and a knife and dissect the chile. Leave the charred skin on.
3. Place the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, de-seeded deveined habanero and the rest of the ingredients in a blender until well pureed. Sieve the pure and add about ¾ cup of the fish stock to wash the reminders of the puree. This will produce the silkiest and smooth sauce, the sieving step is very important because it will remove the tomato seeds and skins.
4. In a small pot heat up the sunflower oil and add the chiltomate puree. Expect some splattering. Lower the heat and bring the sauce to a slow simmer. Cook and reduce liquids for about 6-8 minutes until you have a smooth silky tomato sauce. If the sauce is to watery cook it for a few minutes longer, If is too thick add a bit more of the fish stock. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary.

Quick pan fry the tortillas,

1. On a pan add a drizzle of sunflower or corn oil, until slightly toasty but pliable.

Assembling the Pan de Cazon:

1. Once you have all the components prepared and warm, start by layering on a plate a pan-fried tortilla, evenly spread a tablespoon of the refried black beans. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of the sauteed fish on an even layer. Ladle a tablespoon of the Tomato sauce over the fish, and repeat this layer sequence two more times. Finish the tower with a tortilla. You will have 4 tortilla layers total. If serving multiple plates assemble all the towers at the same time, place them in the oven to keep warm. Keep the tomato sauce warm. Right before serving baste each tower with about 1 cup of the piping hot chiltomate sauce. Garnish with avocado, pickled onions and do not forget the cherry on the top: the charred habanero!