Moqueca Capizaba

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh filet of any white fish (Stripped bass, Haddock, Grouper or Cod)
• 1 pound fresh shrimp, clean and devein (optional)
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 tomato cut into fine slices for garnish
• 1 ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 small onion cut into fine slices for garnish
• 1 large bunch of chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup chopped green onion
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of annatto seeds or urucum powder (found in Latin Market)
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper or chile pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. 1
   Rinse the fish in cold water, cut it into 6 pieces of 3” inches wide; put in a bowl, add the lime juice and let it marinate.
2. 2
   Cut all the vegetables and place in a bowl with cilantro, saving some cilantro for garnish.
3. 3
   Prepare the annatto oil color by simmering 1 spoon of annatto in ½ cup of olive oil. Stir constantly using medium heat, turn the heat off before starting to boil. Strain it and save.
4. 4
   In a large clay pot casserole, slightly sauté the garlic with 2 tablespoons of the annatto for a few seconds.
5. 5
   Add half of the vegetable mixture then arrange the pieces of fish in layers side by side on top of vegetables.
6. 6
   Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes; checking throughout to add water if needed and salt to taste.
7. 7
   Add the remaining vegetable mixture in a layer covering the fish.
8. 8
   Decorate with slices of tomatoes and slices of onions. Put some more olive oil if necessary.
9. 9
   Add the shrimp (or any other kind of shellfish) sprinkle a bit of salt on top and let it cook for 3 to 5 more minutes.