This is a simple recipe, originally designed in Veracruz as the perfect way to use extra fish. Simply poach and pull apart the fish, mix it with a simple, herby tomato sauce (with or without the addition of green olives and capers) and use the mixture to fill chiles, fold into tortillas for tacos or enchiladas, or scoop onto crisp tostadas for a snack or light meal.
Thing is, home cooks don’t often have leftover fish, so they’ve adapted to make their minilla with canned tuna. Which is what I’m sharing with you here–a simple preparation (you may have all the ingredients in your pantry) that’s deliciousness surprisingly supersedes the sum of its parts.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil [can use the oil drained from the tuna]
- 1 small (4-ounce) white onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 small green chile to taste (roughly 1 large serrano or a small jalapeño), stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1 15-ounce can of tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), drained
- About 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 5-ounce cans tuna (preferably oil-packed albacore or skipjack)
- A few tablespoons chopped green olives (optional, but recommended)
- A tablespoon or so of capers (optional)
- Salt
- 6 crisp-fried tostadas
- 1 large avocado , cut in half, pit removed, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 12 slices
- Cilantro or flat-leat parsley leaves, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the minilla. Into a large (10-inch) skillet set over medium heat, measure the oil. When hot, add the onion, stir occasionally until beginning to brown, 4 to 7 minutes. While the onion is cooking, scoop the chile into a blender jar, then add the drained tomatoes and oregano. Blend until smooth. Add the garlic to the lightly browned onion, stir for a minute, then add the tomato puree. Cook just until it’s beginning to thicken, about 3 minutes, then add the tuna. Use a large fork or tongs to break up the tuna into rather small shreds, mixing it with the sauce as you go. Cook just long enough to create a uniform-looking mixture that is thick enough to hold its shape easily in a spoon. Stir in the olives and/or capers if you’re using them. Taste and season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon if using the (salty) olives and capers, a little more if not.
Serve. Your minilla can be served warm or cool, piled on tostadas and garnished with avocado and cilantro or parsley leaves.
