Seafood Dishes

A culinary specialty hailing from the coast of Algarve, carapaus alimados is made by dry-salting fresh, gutted, and headed Atlantic horse mackerels with sea salt before boiling them in water and finally removing their entire skin and side bones. The term alimar refers to the skinning or scaling of the fish, which is how this dish earned its name. This traditional fish delicacy is typically finished with a generous drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar as well as some thin slices of onion, garlic, or fresh parsley on top. Carapaus alimados is usually paired with boiled potatoes and a fresh salada &agrave; montanheira, made with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, and oregano dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

Carapaus alimados

France

Carpe frite sundgauvienne is a traditional dish originating from Sundgau in the Haut-Rhin region. The dish is made with a combination of carp fillets, white wine, semolina, oil, salt, and pepper. The carp fillets are placed in a flat dish and marinated in white wine. Once marinated, the dish is drained, seasoned with salt and pepper, and dredged in semolina. The fillets are fried in hot oil until golden on the exterior. Once cooled, the fillets are fried again in oil at a higher temperature. The dish is typically served with fries, lemon wedges, mayonnaise, and a fresh green salad. The fish should be eaten with the fingers. It's recommended to pair carpe frite sundgauvienne with a glass of Riesling or Pinot blanc.

Carpe frite sundgauvienne

Portugal

Sharing the same name as the frying pan in which they are prepared, cataplana refers to an extensive group of Portuguese dishes that can be prepared with various ingredients such as meat, seafood, rice, or pasta. The pan, as well as the savory dishes, are traditionally associated with Faro, and it is said that every city in the region has its favorite ingredient for the dish. Originally invented by fishermen, cataplana dishes are today found throughout Portugal. The most famous version of the dish is cataplana de marisco, prepared with a variety of seafood.

Cataplana

United States

Catfish stew is a dish consisting of catfish fillets that have been boiled together with tomatoes, potatoes, and onions, and are often seasoned with hot sauce or Tabasco. A version without tomatoes, known as white catfish stew, is commonly prepared with added milk, and it is also widely popular. The stew originates from, and is mainly consumed in the southern parts of the USA.

Catfish Stew

Cau cau de choros is a variation on the typical Peruvian stew cau cau. It's usually made with a combination of mussels, white wine, garlic, onions, aji amarillo, potatoes, mint, salt, and pepper. The mussels are cooked in a mixture of wine and water until they open. One of the shells from each mussel is removed, and the shells with the meat are returned to the pot. The onions, garlic, and hot peppers are saut&eacute;ed in a pan and covered with the mussel cooking liquid. Potato cubes are added to the mix and everything is simmered until the potatoes become tender. The mussels are placed into the pot, the dish is shortly reheated, seasoned with salt and pepper, and mixed with chopped mint. Cau cau de choros is traditionally served with Peruvian-style white rice on the side.

Cau cau de choros

Cau cau de conchas is a variation on the typical Peruvian stew cau cau. It's usually made with a combination of scallops, onions, garlic, hot peppers, peas, mint, potatoes, fish stock, salt, and pepper. The hot peppers, garlic, and onions are saut&eacute;ed in a pan and covered with fish stock. Potato cubes are added to the pot and the mixture is simmered until the potatoes become tender. Scallops and boiled peas are added to the mix and once the scallops are cooked, the dish is seasoned with salt and pepper and the mint is stirred into the pot. The stew is traditionally served with Peruvian-style white rice on the side.

Cau cau de conchas

Cau cau de mariscos is a variation on the typical Peruvian stew cau cau. It's usually made with a combination of scallops, octopus, shrimps, onions, garlic, hot peppers, oil, potatoes, carrots, fish stock, mint, salt, and pepper. The onions, garlic, and hot peppers are saut&eacute;ed in oil and mixed with potatoes, carrots, and fish stock. The mixture is simmered until the potatoes are tender. The octopus, shrimps, and scallops are added to the pot and cooked over low heat. Mint is stirred into the stew and it's then served with Peruvian-style white rice on the side. If desired, snails can also be added to the stew.

Cau cau de mariscos

Cazuela chilota is a traditional dish originating from Chile. This thick soup is usually made with a combination of mussels, pumpkin, cabbage, potatoes, garlic, carrots, hot peppers, rice, oregano, parsley, coriander, oil, salt, and black pepper. The mussels are fried in oil with minced garlic, hot peppers, garlic, salt, and pepper. The mixture is covered with water and simmered over medium heat. The vegetables are chopped and added to the pot along with rice. Cazuela chilota is simmered for about half an hour more, and it&rsquo;s then often sprinkled with oregano, coriander, and parsley before serving.

Cazuela chilota

Cedar-plank salmon is a fish delicacy that involves cooking salmon on cedar planks, a unique method of cooking which is believed to have been originally practiced by the Native Americans who mostly used Western red cedar (a type of cypress). The wood planks, which must be free from any surface coatings or chemicals, are typically immersed in water into which coarse salt, fruit juice, or wine can be added. Once dried and heated on the grill, the planks are topped with salmon fillets that can either be left with their skin intact or skinned. Salmon is typically marinated in oil, seasonings, and fresh aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme, dill, oregano, parsley, juniper berries, or even fir needles. Alternatively, the fish fillets can be coated with a mixture of mustard and maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar. Not only does this unique technique enhance the flavor of the fish by imparting a pleasant smokiness and woody aroma to it, but it also allows it to seal its juices and remain moist. This fish specialty is typical of both Canada and the USA, particularly British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest region, respectively.

Cedar-plank salmon

This Singaporean dish consists of crispy fried prawns that are doused in a rich combination of butter, crushed and toasted cereals, curry leaves, and chilis. Even though it is easily prepared at home, the dish is a staple at hawker centers and restaurant throughout Singapore and Malaysia. Cereal prawns are occasionally served topped with a heap of toasted, almost sand-like cereals, and they are always enjoyed hot.

Cereal Prawns

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Ceviche de camar&oacute;n ecuatoriano is the Ecuadorian version of shrimp ceviche. Ceviche is a dish in which seafood is "cooked" in an acidic marinade, typically made of citrus juice. In this instance, fresh shrimp are typically briefly boiled and then cooled. They are then marinated in lime juice with thinly sliced red onions, chopped tomatoes, and finely chopped coriander. One of the unique touches in the Ecuadorian version is the addition of orange juice, giving it a sweeter, less acidic profile than some other ceviches. Some recipes also include ketchup or tomato sauce, lending the ceviche a reddish hue and a slightly sweet taste. When it comes to serving, Ecuadorian ceviche is typically paired with chifles (thinly sliced and fried green plantains), and may be accompanied by patacones (fried green plantain patties). Ceviche de camar&oacute;n is popular along the coast but is relished throughout Ecuador. It's a common dish for lunch, especially on warmer days, and is a favorite in beach towns and cities. The freshness of the ingredients is paramount, and the blend of flavors and textures makes Ecuadorian shrimp ceviche a cherished dish both locally and internationally.
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Ceviche de camarón ecuatoriano

Vietnam

Chả c&aacute; L&atilde; Vọng is a traditional dish originating from Hanoi. It consists of grilled fish with turmeric and dill. In order to prepare it, firm white fish such as catfish, cod, or tilapia is usually marinated in shallots, galangal, turmeric, garlic, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and oil. It is then grilled on both sides with dill and spring onions and served with vermicelli noodles, roasted peanuts, and a dipping sauce consisting of lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar. This dish dates back to the French Indochina days of Vietnam, and the resistance fighters used to meet in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Their secret meeting place served grilled fish (chả c&aacute;), and outside of the establishment, there was a statue of L&atilde; Vọng, a famous poet and resistance fighter, hence the name of the dish.

Chả cá Lã Vọng

Chewi kong is a traditional catfish stew originating from Gambia. The stew is usually made with a combination of catfish, onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, cassava, cabbage, oil, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. The catfish is washed with hot water and lime, while the onions and tomatoes are blended and fried with the tomato paste. Water is poured over the mixture, it's seasoned with salt and pepper, and the dish and vegetables are then stirred into the pot. The stew is simmered for a while, and near the end of cooking, the heat is turned low, and the stew is seasoned with salt and pepper once again. Chewi kong is traditionally served over boiled rice.

Chewi kong

Chien chuon is a Cambodian fish specialty that is made with crispy fried fish cooked with a rich sauce containing stir-fried ginger and garlic. Other typical ingredients added to the sauce include fish sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, tomatoes, black beans, fermented soybeans, roasted shallots, and cellophane noodles. Trout, tilapia, snapper, bream, trei ta-aon, and trei keh are some of the usual types of fish used in this dish. The fish is usually garnished with fresh coriander and sliced red chilis on top, and it is typically served with steamed white rice. Chien chuon is a staple in numerous Cambodian restaurants throughout the country.

Chien chuon

Like many other dishes in Asia, chilli crab started as a street food item, but it has eventually become so popular that today it is considered to be the national dish of Singapore. It consists of a stir-fried crab covered in a succulent, spicy sauce. The story of chilli crab's origin is a well-known anecdote - it was invented in the 1950s by Cher Yam Tian, who wanted to modify her stir-fried crab recipe by adding bottled chili sauce into the dish. The result was so delicious that her family persuaded her to start selling the dish, so chilli crab began its way to become the signature dish of Singapore. The dish is served in many restaurants in the country, and since the crab is served in a shell, the consumption of chilli crab is a unique experience. The diners must use their hands to crack the shell open in order to get hold of the tender crab meat hiding on the inside. Usually, mallets or nutcrackers are used to ease the whole procedure. Bread is commonly served together with the crab, and it is mainly used to soak up the delicious spicy gravy.

Chilli crab

Mexico

Chilpachole de jaiba is a traditional dish originating from Veracruz. This spicy soup is usually made with a combination of crab meat, potatoes, carrots, hot peppers (ancho, chipotle, and guajillo are the most common), tomatoes, onions, garlic, epazote, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The tomatoes, soaked chili peppers, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper are processed until smooth, and then mixed with the rest of the ingredients in a pot. The soup is simmered until the crab is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender. If the soup is too thin, it's recommended to thicken it with masa dough. Chilpachole de jaiba is served hot with tortillas on the side.

Chilpachole de jaiba

India

Chingri Malai curry is a traditional curry originating from the Bengal region. It&rsquo;s made with a base of coconut milk and prawns that are seasoned with garam masala spices and fried in ghee or mustard oil with onions, hot chili peppers, garlic-ginger paste, and turmeric. If desired, red chili powder, cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom can be added to the curry in order to further enrich the flavors. The dish is cooked until the gravy becomes thick and creamy, and it is then served hot, usually with rice on the side. It is believed that this curry made its way to Bengali kitchens through contact with Malaysian traders, hence the name. Nowadays, it&rsquo;s prepared during weddings and similar festive events.

Chingri Malai curry

Spain

Chipirones en su tinta is a traditional dish originating from the Basque country. The dish is made by searing and poaching whole baby squids until they become tender, served in a pur&eacute;e of saut&eacute;ed vegetables, garlic, and white wine, all tinted with squid or cuttlefish ink. The ink enhances the natural sea flavor of the squids, which are traditionally stuffed with a mixture of their own side fins and tentacles. It's recommended to prepare the dish a day in advance so that the squid takes on the flavors of the sauce and becomes more tender. Before serving, sprinkle it with freshly chopped parsley.

Chipirones en su tinta

Choco frito is a traditional dish originating from Set&uacute;bal, where it's the most famous local specialty. Although one might think that the dish contains chocolate, it actually consists of fried cuttlefish that's typically served with potato chips or fries, salad, and lemon wedges for squeezing the juice onto the choco frito. The cuttlefish is most commonly boiled with garlic and bay leaves, marinated in lemon juice and wine, then coated in seasoned cornflour before it's fried to crispy perfection. Once prepared, choco frito should be chunky, succulent, and crunchy on the outside. You can often find it as a part of petiscos, the Portuguese-style bar snacks similar to tapas.

Choco frito

Choritos al vapor is a traditional mussel dish originating from the coastal areas of Chile. Although there are many variations, the dish is usually made with a combination of fresh mussels, garlic, white wine, onions, oregano, olive oil, and sometimes even longaniza sausage. The onions, garlic, oregano and olive oil are sauteed in a large pan, then mixed with the mussels and white wine. The combination is cooked until the mussels open, and the dish is then served either directly from the pot or individually in large bowls. It's recommended to pair the dish with a glass of white wine. Other versions of the dish often include red bell peppers and celery, if desired.