We are lucky to have our Bay of Banderas` Red Snapper abundant year-round: the most popular and delicious fish dish you can enjoy in PV. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients 

Fresh, whole Red Snapper (as many as needed)

Lime juice

Natural sea salt

Ground black pepper

Extra Virgin olive oil

Diced garlic

Procedure

Wash the fish (fres and whole) in the sink and pat-dry with paper towels. Pour the juice of half a lime over each fish. Season with natural sea salt and ground black pepper. Add extra virgin olive oil and diced garlic to a pan at medium heat, stir so garlic does not burn. Place the whole fish over hot oil and let it cook for 5 minutes on each side. Serve with salsa mexicana (pico de gallo), guacamole, rice, tortillas and enjoy! Provecho!

Vallarta`s famous smoked marlin is truly one of a kind! Here is the recipe.

Ingredients 

1/2 Kg smoked marlin

2 white medium-sized onions, diced

1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. diced garlic

1 red bell pepper, diced

8 boiled tomatoes

1/2 cup sliced green olives

3 celery stalks, diced

2 small carrots, diced

1/4 cup capers

4 Bay leaves

1 large potato, diced

1 teaspoon ground oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Heat olive oil in a pan at medium heat, without letting it get smoky. Let onions and celery cook until golden, then add carrots, tomatoes and bell pepper. Stir and let it cook for 10 minutes.

Add smoked marlin chunks, potatoes, olives and capers, stirring for a few minutes and then cover. Let it simmer at low heat for another 30 minutes.

To be enjoyed hot or cold, provecho! 

Arte Culinario`s favorite Cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup chopped pistachios

3/4 cup dried cranberries

200 gr. chocolate chips

100 gr. unsalted butter

1.5 cup confectioner`s sugar 

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

Procedure

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar at medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and salt and beat until smooth. Reduce speed and add flour, mixing until even.

Mix cranberries, pistachios and chocolate chips with cookie dough. Divide into three 2-inch "logs" and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill until firm (approx. 4 hours)

Pre-heat oven at 350F. Slice logs into 1/4-inch thick cookies. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool.

Makes 3 dozen cookies... enjoy

!

Ingredients

Cupcakes

200 grs unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

½ cup milk

½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla extract

48 Hershey´s kisses

Nana`s Frosting

1 can of condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tbsp softened butter

*Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder to make it a chocolate frosting.

Procedure

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. Cream butter & both sugars.  Add eggs, one by one.  Add the mixture of flour little by little, alternating with milk, mixing very well. Beat until well mix, add vanilla and mix one more minute.

Grease and cover with flour a mini cup cake pan.  Add teaspoon of chocolate mixture, then place a Hershey´s kiss and cover with another half of chocolate mixture.  Bake on a pre-heated oven at 175° C (375 °F) for 18-20 minutes.  Use a toothpick to check if they`re ready: if it comes out clean, they are. Cool on wire rack.

Frosting:  Place the can of condensed milk in a pot and cover it with water.  Put it on the stove and let it boil softly for at least 2 hours.  Let it cool down completely.  Mix it with the rest of the ingredients until it blends.  Cover the top of you mini cup cakes and garnish with either shaved dark chocolate or a raspberry and fresh mint. 

NOTE: You can make the frosting a day before and keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Chicken Breast stuffed with Hoja Santa

4 chicken breast halves

2 large Holy leaves (Hoja Santa)

4 roasted Poblano peppers

8 oz. Manchego or Adobera cheese

½ stick of butter

½ large white onion

½ cup milk

¼ cup whole cream

½ cup chicken broth

2 cloves of garlic

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

When buying the chicken breast, ask to have them thinly-sliced so they are easy to roll. Wash and dry the Poblano peppers, rub a bit of cooking oil on them and roast.  Let them sweat in a plastic bag for 15 minutes (so they peel easy) Let them cool, seed and devein them, using paper towels.  Slice them into strips and set them aside.

Wash and dry the Hoja Santa, cut out the center hard part so they are easy to roll with the chicken filets.

Grate the garlic, rub on the chicken and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Put half a leaf on the filet, then a few strips of the roasted Poblano and a generous slice of cheese.  Roll it putting the ends inside so it´s well-sealed.  Brown them on a hot pan with extra virgin olive oil, then bake in a pre-heated oven at 375° F for 15 - 17 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Melt the butter on a small sauce pan, add the chopped onion.  Once cooked, put it in a blender with the other two roasted peppers, cream, milk and chicken broth mixing very well.  Put the sauce back in the sauce pan, season it with salt and pepper to taste and let it come to a soft boil for 3 minutes.

To serve put a little bit of the Poblano sauce on the plate, then the chicken rolls cut in two; you can garnish it with baby greens seasoned with extra virgin olive oil or a few springs of fresh cilantro. Serve them with rice and a medley of julienne vegetables.

Ingredients

1 small octopus

½ white onion

1 celery stalk

2 large garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

2 medium-sized pieces of papaya skin

2 tsp Sea salt

Water

½ red onion

1/3 of each: red, green and yellow bell pepper

2 cucumbers

1 peeled tomato

½ tsp dill

1 lime

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Fill a medium size pot with water enough to cover the octopus.  Put the water to boil with the onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, papaya skin and sea salt.  Once it boils, add the clean octopus and set your clock for 40 minutes.

Get the octopus out of the boiling water and let it cool completely.

Once the octopus has cooled, slice it and add the olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice and dill. Cut the peppers julienne style and thinly slice the onion (length wise).  Slice the cucumber and the tomato and add them to the octopus mix.

Let it rest for at least 20 minutes and serve over a tostada spread with guacamole, and enjoy!

Ingredients

500 gr Sea bass or Parrot fish filet (white meat fish)

12 limes

1small piece of ginger root

1 large white onion

1 small red bell pepper

1 habanero pepper

½ medium-sized jicama

2 small cucumbers (criollo)

1 ripe mango

1 cilantro bunch

1avocado

1 tsp. natural sea salt

Procedure

Wash the fish, pat dry. Cut into small cubes, pour lime juice over it and let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Wash, peel, & grind the ginger root then add it to the fish along with the sea salt & stir to mix.

Slice onion and bell peppers into thin strips; chop the habanero pepper finely. NOTE: Habanero is very spicy, make sure not to rub your face or eyes & wash your hands thoroughly after handling it.

Peel cucumber and cut in cubes. Peel jicama and cut it into very thin strips; add both to the fish mixture. Lastly, peel the mango and again cut into very thin strips, then add to mixture along with finely chopped cilantro. Taste to check if it needs more salt.

Serve the ceviche in a martini glass with small cubes of avocado & corn chips on the side, and enjoy!

Serves 6 people

Ingredients for cake

1 Grated fresh coconut (meat only)

1 cup coconut milk

200 grs butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

Dash of sea salt

2 tsp Coconut extract

Procedure

Sift flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.  In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, add eggs one by one, mixing well, then add sifted flour and coconut milk. Mix to ribbon point, add the coconut extract at the end.

Grease and cover with flour an 8-9 inch pan, shaking excess off.  Pour batter and bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 for 45 - 50 minutes. Inserting a toothpick to check if it’s done: if it comes out clean, it is.

Ingredients for cream

1 & 1/3 cup milk

1 Cup coconut milk

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp coconut extract

Heat a cup of milk & a cup of sugar together at low fire for 5 minutes; in another bowl, mix 1/3 cup milk with corn starch.  When milk mixture is softly boiling, add coconut milk and corn starch mixture, mixing very well to avoid lumps, until it thickens.  Let it rest until completely cool.

To put this dessert together, use a nice Martini glass and add small chunks of cake, then pieces of pineapple soaked in rum and honey, then the coconut cream.  Repeat two or three times more, and garnish with a slice of star fruit and a fresh mint leaf. Enjoy!

Ingredients

500 grs shrimps clean & deveined

150 grs of masa (corn dough)

1 tsp ground coriander seed

2 garlic cloves grated

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Sea salt to taste

Fresh cilantro

2 litters fish stock

2 tbsp E.V.O.O

1 medium size white onion

1 poblano pepper

4 roma tomatoes

2  zucchinis

1 potato

2 carrots

Procedure

Add a little bit of warm water to the masa, until it has a softer, more manageable texture.  Using the food processor, grind shrimps to a paste then put it in a large bowl. Add the masa, coriander, garlic, ground pepper & sea salt.  Let this rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Put the oil in a sauce pan, add the chopped onion, tomatoes, peppers and chopped garlic at the end. Add the fish stock and let it come to a boil, season with salt and pepper and add sliced potato and carrot. Let it cook for five minutes, then with a teaspoon add the shrimp balls and the sliced zucchini, let cook for five minutes and serve in a bowl with a slice of lime and warm tortillas on the side.

Ingredients for Salsa

2 guajillo peppers

1 ancho pepper

2 tomatoes

3 large garlic cloves

¼ medium size white onion

1/3 cup tomato puré

1 tsp dried oregano

10 oz crab meat

½ white onion (thinly sliced)

1 garlic clove (finely chopped9

1 Poblano pepper (thinly sliced)

1 tomato (chopped)

Small bunch of cilantro (finely chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp E.V.O.O.

Ingredients for Enchilada filling

12 corn tortillas

Crema fresca

Queso Cotija (crumbled)

½ white onion

Cooking oil (necessary amount)

Procedure

Put first 7 ingredients in a sauce pot, cover them with water, bring them to a boil & let cook for 10 minutes.  Cool off, blend & strain.  Season with salt & pepper.

To make the filling: Heat the oil in a frying pan at medium heat, add onion & Poblano pepper, cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato & garlic, cook 3 minutes, add the crab meat, season with salt & pepper & cook for 5 more minutes, add cilantro mixing well and turn off.  Set aside.

Put some of the Salsa on a large plate and place a tortilla in it, covering both sides with salsa.  Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil to a large frying pan & heat over medium heat.  Add tortilla and cook each side for 1-2 minutes. Place them on another plate and continue until you get all your tortillas cooked in the salsa.

Put  2 tbsp of crab filling in each tortilla, roll and put three in each plate, thin out the rest of Salsa roja with a little bit of chicken , beef or veggie broth and pour some over the enchilada plate, garnish with the chopped onion, a tsp of cremafresca and the crumbled Cotija cheese.  Serve them with shredded lettuce and sliced radish.

Notes from Chef:

You can use sour cream instead of crema fresca & feta cheese instead of Cotija.

Naturally, the filling can be substituted for shredded beef or chicken.

You can use Monterey Jack or Manchego cheese for a more "tex-mex" version, then bake in the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese melts.