Spanish cazón en adobo (marinated dogfish) or bienmesabe is one of the traditional dishes of the Andalusian cuisine, specifically from Cadiz. Made up of pieces of fish, marinated and then fried; it is one of the most pleasant tapas that one can have as an appetizer.
Bienmesabe is how the marinated dogfish is known in Cadiz, although in the Spanish cuisine other recipes are also called bienmesabe, such as the bienmesabe of Antequera (almond paste) or the one of the Canary Islands.
Ingredients for the Bienmesabe Recipe:
- 500 g of dogfish, cut into thick slices
- Flour, enough to coat the fish cubes
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
- A teaspoon of oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- Sherry vinegar
- Water
- Oil for frying, ideally olive oil, although you can also use sunflower oil
How to Make It:
- Cut the dogfish into bite-sized pieces and put them in a bowl.
- For the bienmesabe marinade, crush the garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and salt in the mortar. Add vinegar and mix.
- Pour this over the dogfish pieces and mix well. They should be covered by the vinegar so if you see that there is not enough, add a little more vinegar.
- Cut the bay leaves into 2 or 3 pieces and add them to the bowl.
- Cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge for at least 8 hours. If you like it strong in flavour you can leave it overnight.
- Drain the fish well and flour it so that it is well impregnated.
- Fry it when the oil is hot for 3-4 minutes, in small batches.
- When you take it out, leave it on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve your bienmesabe immediately and enjoy!
