Michelin’s Young Chef Award Winner Johnny Curiel shares his recipe for the Aguachile at Cozobi Fonda Fina in Boulder.
“Aguachile dishes are traditionally heavy on citrus and peppers, but I wanted to treat the fish—hamachi—with something that complements it perfectly: earthiness from the greens, spiciness from radishes and cucumbers.”—chef Johnny Curiel, Cozobi Fonda Fina
Aguachile
Ingredients
Marinade
- ¼ ea roasted poblano chiles (seeded and skinned)
- ¾ Persian cucumber (peeled and seeded)
- 3 Tbsp. lime juice (fresh squeezed)
- ½ Tbsp. room temperature water
- ¼ tsp. White House apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp. Christopher Ranch garlic
- 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 30 whole cilantro leaves (stems removed)
- 10 whole mint leaves (stems removed)
- 5 whole basil leaves (stems removed)
Fish and Garnish
- 6 slices hamachi or kanpachi (sashimistyle)
- 5 slices Persian cucumber
- 5 slices cello radishes
- 1 Tbsp. EVOO
- 1 pinch Maldon smoked salt
- micro cilantro (to garnish)
Directions
- Char poblano peppers on the stovetop over high flame. Rotate to blacken all sides. Remove peppers from grill and place in a container. Immediately cover the container and allow peppers to steam for 10 minutes. Remove stems and seeds from peppers, then scrape skins off using the backside of the knife’s blade.
- Place all ingredients in the blender and blend on high for 10 seconds. Do not blend for too long as it will cause heat from friction and turn the marinade dark green. Transfer to a clean food storage container.
- Place the sliced fish on a cold plate or bowl, and cover with EVOO and smoked salt. With a spoon, cover the fish with the aguachile marinade, and garnish with your cucumber, radish, and micro cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
TIP FROM THE CHEF: Curiel recommends buying sashimi-style fish from Tom’s Seafood or Leevers Locavore.
