Pan de Cazón Suburbano
(pahn deh cah-ZOHN)
Gulf Coast Sunsets: Bright & Fast Seafood
In the coastal state of Campeche, "Dogfish Bread" features no bread at all. Instead, it's a magnificent, savory tower built from golden corn tortillas, earthy black beans, flaked fish, and a fiercely smoky roasted tomato sauce called chiltomate. Born of necessity and Gulf Coast abundance, the traditional dish relies on local small sharks and fiery open coals. For those of us cooking in the American suburbs, thousands of miles from the warm waters of the Yucatán, swapping shark for sturdy white fish and harnessing the blistering heat of a standard oven broiler captures the precise soul of a Campechano Sunday afternoon. It is nostalgic, structurally impressive, and surprisingly fast to throw together on a weeknight.
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes1 1/2 lb
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic2 large cloves
- habanero pepper1 med
- olive oil1 tbsp
- salt1 tsp
- black beans15 oz
- vegetable oil1 tbsp
- water1/4 cup
- mahi-mahi or Atlantic cod fillets1 1/2 lb
- vegetable oil2 tbsp
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic2 large cloves
- dried epazote1 tsp
- lime juice1 tbsp
- orange juice1/2 tbsp
- grapefruit juice1/2 tbsp
- corn tortillas12 med
- vegetable oil1/4 cup
- avocado1 med
Method
- 01
Char the chiltomate vegetables in the broiler.
Place the Roma tomatoes, thick chunk of white onion, unpeeled garlic, and whole habanero on a dry baking sheet. Broil on high for 8 to 12 minutes, turning once, until the skins are deeply blackened and blistered. Do not fear the char; it is the essence of the dish.
- 02
Blend the charred vegetables into a rustic salsa.
Peel the garlic. If you want traditional flavor without blistering heat, carefully scrape the seeds out of the habanero and only use half the flesh. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, habanero, olive oil, and salt into a blender and pulse until it forms a chunky sauce. Set aside.
- 03
Purée the black beans and simmer them into a silky paste.
In the same unwashed blender, pour in the entire can of black beans with their liquid and blend until completely smooth. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over medium heat, carefully pour in the purée, add the water, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it reaches the consistency of thick frosting. Keep warm.
- 04
Poach the fish fillets and shred them gently.
Bring 4 cups of salted water to a gentle boil in a medium pot. Drop in the fish and poach for 6 to 8 minutes just until opaque. Move to a cutting board, let it cool for a minute, and use two forks to gently flake the meat.
- 05
Sauté the fish with aromatics and your makeshift sour orange juice.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent. Gently fold in the shredded fish and epazote. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime, orange, and grapefruit juices. Taste for salt.
- 06
Briefly fry the tortillas to create a grease barrier.
A raw tortilla will turn into soggy pudding under the weight of the sauce. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and pass each corn tortilla through the hot oil for just 10 to 15 seconds per side until pliable but sealed. Drain on paper towels.
- 07
Build the multi-layered towers and drown them in hot salsa.
For each serving, place a spoonful of salsa on a plate, top with a tortilla, smear generously with beans, and add a thick layer of fish. Spoon over a little salsa, and repeat for a second layer. Top with a third tortilla, a light smear of beans, and a generous ladle of the hot chiltomate salsa spilling over the sides. Crown with sliced avocado and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not skip the oven char.
The true magic trick of the Yucatán is the chiltomate. Tomatoes boiled in water taste entirely different from tomatoes blackened by fire. The Maillard reaction on the skin brings out a deep, ancient umami that serves as the backbone of the entire plate.
Seek out the epazote.
This pungent herb is the background note that makes Mexican food taste incredibly real. It smells faintly of oregano, mint, and petroleum, and it neutralizes the heaviness of the beans. You can find it dried in small cellophane packets in the Hispanic aisle of standard supermarkets.