Frida Kahlo's Heirloom Recipe
Fish Veracruz

Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Difficulty: Mild
Pans Required: Legacy Pan

Join us as we recreate the family recipes of the world’s most iconic humans. Today we travel to Veracruz for a dish shaped by colour, conviction, and the stubborn beauty of Mexico.

Frida Kahlo refused to be small.

Born in 1907, she became one of the defining artists of the 20th century. She painted her pain without apology, wore her politics in public, and turned her own face into a symbol recognised around the world. So devoted to her country that she later aligned her birth year with 1910, the start of the Mexican Revolution.

Mexico lived in everything she did. In what she wore. In what she painted. In what she cooked.

To honour her, we’ve recreated a traditional dish long associated with her table. A plate alive with the colours and sharp contrasts of Veracruz.

Recipes like this moved easily between artists, revolutionaries and friends. Shared over tequila. Shared over long arguments about art and change.

Now we pass our version on to you.

Haz algunos recuerdos.

Ingredients

650 g firm white fish (Hapuka is perfect)
4 T white flour (optional)
⅓ c olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 bulb garlic, sliced or minced
2 bay leaves
1 fresh red chilli, sliced, OR 1 t jalapeño, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
2 t dried oregano
2 t chipotle powder
1 t smoked paprika
450 g fresh tomatoes OR 650 g tinned tomatoes
125 ml wine, water, or fish stock
3 T capers
200 g olives, roughly sliced
1 t salt, more or less to taste
2 fresh limes, halved

To Serve

Fresh black pepper
Fresh coriander

Method

This dish is traditionally made with a whole snapper, but for ease we’ve used fresh boneless fillets.

Veracruz sauce is a classic from Mexico, built on fresh tomatoes, good capers and olives, oregano and bay leaves. Chipotle powder is widely available and delicious. It’s made from smoked chipotle peppers and is quite mild. If you want more heat, add extra fresh chilli or jalapeño.

There are two ways to make this dish.

You can dust thick fillets with flour and sear them in a hot pan before making the sauce.
Or, if you’re using delicate fish like snapper, skip the flour and lightly poach the uncooked fish in the sauce at the end.

For thick firm white fish, dust the fillets with flour and set aside as you heat your Legacy Pan until smoking hot.

Sear the fillets on each side until browned but not cooked through. (If your fillets are large, cut them into portions that fit the pan.)

Remove the fish to a plate. Do not clean the pan.

Add onions, garlic, chilli and bay leaves (and a little oil if needed) to the pan. Gently sauté until the onions are soft.

Turn up the heat and add the red pepper, herbs, spices, olives and capers. Fry for one more minute.

If using fresh tomatoes, blend them with the wine, water or stock into a slurry and add to the pan. If using tinned tomatoes, add them with the wine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Hotter? Saltier? Adjust now.

Nestle the fish — seared or raw — into the sauce and spoon a little sauce over each piece. Not too much. You still want to see the fish. Tuck in the lime halves and simmer gently on the stovetop until the fish is cooked through. Depending on thickness, this takes 5–15 minutes.

Scatter with fresh coriander and plenty of black pepper.

Serve piping hot with soft tacos, guacamole and crunchy coleslaw. And make sure to squeeze those lightly cooked limes over everything.

Serve with pride. This dish has travelled a long way to be at your table.

Every great recipe deserves a soundtrack.

Here’s a playlist to cook along to. Songs Frida Kahlo was known to love and music from her world at Casa Azul. Press play, stir passionately, and fill your kitchen with colour and courage. Listen on Spotify.

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Heirloom Recipes is an independent editorial series inspired by recipes and stories in the public domain. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any individual, family, or estate featured. These recipes are our adaptations, created with care and respect for the lives behind them.

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