Ecuadorian FoodSea bass with passion fruit-basil chili sauce, green plantain cakes, and crunchy lupins
An original Ecuadorian dish featuring seared sea bass with a bright passion fruit, mild chili, and basil sauce, served over green plantain cakes and finished with sautéed lupins for texture. It balances coastal and Andean flavors in a fresh way.
Ingredients
- 4 filetes / 680 g g sea bass fillets (skinless, of approx. 170 g each uno)
- 8 g g salt (divided)
- 2 g g black pepper (freshly ground)
- 30 ml ml lime juice (divided)
- 45 ml ml achiote oil (divided)
- 180 ml ml passion fruit pulp (with algunas semillas)
- 120 g g red onion (cut en pluma fina, divided)
- 9 g g garlic (chopped fino)
- 20 g g mild red chili (without semillas, chopped fino)
- 120 ml ml fish stock or water (for the sauce)
- 12 g g grated panela (for balancear the acidez)
- 10 g g basil leaves (chopped in strips finas)
- 700 g g green plantains (approx. 2 large, pelados and en trozos)
- 100 g g fresh cheese (desmenuzado)
- 1 unidad / 50 g g egg (beaten)
- 1 g g ground cumin (for the tortitas)
- 180 g g cooked lupins (enjuagados and escurridos)
- 8 g g cilantro (chopped fino)
- 24 g g cornmeal (for dar crocancia a the chochos)
- 14 g g butter (for terminar the sauce)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Season the sea bass fillets with 4 g (3/4 tsp) salt, black pepper, and 15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice. Let them rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the other components.
- 2
2. Place the green plantain pieces in a pot with enough water and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Drain well.
- 3
3. Mash the hot plantains in a bowl and mix with the fresh cheese, beaten egg, ground cumin, and 2 tablespoons of the red onion finely chopped from the total 120 g. Add 2 g (about 1/2 tsp) salt. Form 8 compact cakes.
- 4
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 15 ml (1 tbsp) achiote oil. Brown the plantain cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until firm and golden. Set aside on a tray. To keep them warm, place them in an oven preheated to 200°F / 95°C.
- 5
5. Mix the cooked lupins with the cornmeal, cilantro, and a pinch of salt. In the same skillet, add 15 ml (1 tbsp) achiote oil and sauté the lupins for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until lightly crisp. Set aside.
- 6
6. For the sauce, sauté the remaining red onion with the garlic and mild red chili in 15 ml (1 tbsp) achiote oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
- 7
7. Add the passion fruit pulp, fish stock or water, grated panela, and the remaining 15 ml (1 tbsp) lime juice. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the butter and basil, stir, and adjust with the remaining 2 g salt. Keep the sauce warm without boiling hard.
- 8
8. Pat the sea bass fillets dry with paper towels. In a clean hot skillet, cook the fish over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second side, until golden and just cooked through in the center. If you prefer to finish it in the oven, transfer it for 2 minutes at 350°F / 175°C.
- 9
9. To serve, place 2 plantain cakes on each plate, top with one sea bass fillet, spoon over the passion fruit-basil sauce, and finish with the crunchy lupins on top or on the side.
- 10
10. Serve immediately to keep the contrast between the juicy fish, aromatic sauce, golden cakes, and crisp lupins.
Chef tips
If the passion fruit pulp is very tart, add 1 extra teaspoon of panela. For firmer plantain cakes, let the mixture rest for 5 minutes before shaping.
Substitutions
You can replace sea bass with snook or a firm mahi-mahi. Fresh cheese can be swapped for mild queso costeño, and basil can be replaced with mint for a more herbal profile.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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