Recipe: Lapu-Lapu en Salsa Verde

MANILA, Philippines — Lapu-lapu is considered as a premium, top-grade fish because it has a very light white meat that comes with the natural flavors of the sea.

When fresh, it is flaky and versatile in the sense that you can cook it whole, sliced, or filleted, and it stands up well to any cooking method you apply on it. You can have it deep-fried, pan-fried, steamed, or boiled with congee. You can also cook it on its own or in combination with tofu, assorted vegetables, or other seafood. If you want a richer flavor, you can have it served with a white creamy sauce or a rich tomato-based sauce. 

Maybe it is time to cook and serve it with green sauce? Chef Miguel de Alba of the famous Spanish restaurant, Alba Restorante Español, shows us how. In a cooking class held at The Maya Kitchen, he brought his own take on traditional Spanish cuisine.

He featured six dishes in his demo, and Lapu-Lapu en Salsa Verde (Lapu-Lapu in Green Sauce) was one of them. This dish combines lapu-lapu and clams. You can add shrimps if desired.

Ingredients:

400 grams, lapu-lapu fillet

All-purpose flour for coating

1/3 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 pc. medium onion, finely chopped

Salt to taste

White ground pepper to taste

1-2 tbsps. finely chopped parsley

1/8 cup white wine

100 grams Manila clams

1/3 cup fish broth, or as needed

Procedure:

1. Coat the fish fillet pieces with flour. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan that is large enough to hold the fish comfortably. Add garlic and onions.

3. When the onions start to caramelize, remove the pan from heat and arrange the fish in it.

4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley.  Add the wine, broth and clams.

5. Set the pan over low heat.

6. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens. When the fish turns white, the dish is ready to be served.   

For making fish stock:

10 grams butter

40 grams finely chopped onion

20 grams finely chopped celery

20 grams finely chopped carrots

500 grams bones from lapu-lapu

1/4 cup white wine

1 liter cold water

Parsley stems

Proceure:

1. Butter the bottom of a saucepot, then place the onion, celery, carrots and the bones.

2. Set the saucepot over low heat and cook the