A Lima classic of fried fish covered with an onion-and-tomato topping that still has plenty of life. The crust absorbs some of the chile, tomato, and vinegar juices without disappearing beneath them, keeping each bite somewhere between crisp and juicy. It is exactly the kind of skillet that reaches the table and makes everyone wonder whether another fillet is hiding somewhere.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Pat the fish fillets very dry and season them with the lime juice, black pepper, and half of the salt. Let them sit for only 5 minutes while you cut the onion into wedges or thick slivers, the tomato into wedges, and the ají amarillo and red pepper into strips. The fish should still be dry on the surface when it reaches the flour.
Coat the fillets in the flour, shake off the excess, and heat four fifths of the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the fish in batches for 3 minutes per side, until golden outside and just firm in the center. Transfer to paper towels; do not overcook it because it will return to the skillet at the end.
Pour off the excess fat from the skillet and add the remaining oil. Cook the garlic, ají mirasol paste, and oregano for 1 minute, until aromatic but not darkened. Add the onion, ají amarillo, and red pepper and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes; add the tomato and remaining salt and cook for another 2 minutes. The onion should soften without losing all of its bite, and the tomato should remain distinct.
Splash the red wine vinegar over the onion mixture and toss for 30 seconds to lift the flavorful juices from the pan. Nestle the fish back among the vegetables and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, only until heated through and some of the juices cling to the crust. Turn off the heat, fold in the culantro, and serve immediately. If some edges of the fish are still golden and the topping is juicy without becoming soupy, it came out just right. Get it to the table before the sauce wins its battle against the crunch. 😌
