These Albóndigas de Pescado are a traditional dish from the island of San Andrés, which isn't far from Nicaragua. This beautiful island is one of my favorite vacation spots in Colombia.
Albóndigas de Pescado (Fish “Meat Balls” in Coconut Sauce)
Ingredients
- Fish “Meat Balls”
- 1 pound of white fish cut into small pieces halibut, tilapia or mahi-mahi
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ½ onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- ½ red bell pepper chopped
- 1 egg beaten
- Salt and pepper
- Coconut sauce
- 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup of chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups of coconut milk
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor, place the fish, onion, garlic, and red bell pepper and process until it looks like ground beef. Mix with the bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 8 balls.
- To make the sauce: In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, sauté the onion and peppers. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Season with salt and black pepper and add the tomatoes and coconut milk. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are very tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the balls to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, covered, then turn the balls in the sauce and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the balls are cooked completely.
The food in San Andrés has African and English influences, while the most used ingredients are seafood, especially fish, snails and crabs, usually combined with coconut, banana and breadfruit. The most popular dish on the island is Rondón, a comforting dish made with fish, snail, pork, yuca, ñame, plantains, dumplings and coconut milk, among other ingredients, depending on the cook.
These fish balls are usually deep fried, but I am trying not to eat fried food lately, so I put my own spin on the dish and cooked them in the coconut sauce, on the stove.
This recipe is a wonderful take on traditional meatballs and if you're trying to eat more fish, they are also lighter than the beef variety. I love the combination of coconut and seafood, so I made my sauce with coconut milk, but can you also serve these Albóndigas de Pescado with a tomato sauce if you prefer. This is a very quick, easy and flavorful meal. I like to serve it over rice, but it also would be delicious served with mashed potatoes or even pasta.
Buen provecho!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
This looks so DELICIOUS! So, what time should I come over for the lunch?
Evelyne@cheapethniceatz
Erica I love this dish, just gorgeous. Love fish is stew like setting s and love the fact that is it a non fried version.
grace
what perfect orbs! i've never had a fish ball, but even as someone who doesn't really like fish, i'd be game to try these!
maria
ths is very similar to a traditional Brazilian dish called moqueca,,,same ingredients except made with white fish fillets instead of balls..also topped with lots of chopped cilantro..this looks delicious..will make it..u think arena pan would work instead of breadcrumbs? ty in advance
Erica Dinho
Yes.
Alan Bowman
Hi Erica from Spain
Why, Oh, Why all the garlic??? White fish has delicate flavours so why use a garlic sledgehammer to crush them into non-existence? Far better, to use a little grated lemon peel to help support those mild fish flavours. If you were using an "oily" fish then maybe garlic would be OK but, please not with white fish.
Saludos
Alan
Abby
Wonderful recipe--a great success! I eliminated the garlic from the fish balls. The coconut sauce made with fresh tomatoes (not canned!) is divine.
Abby
Wonderful recipe! I used very fresh talapia fillets. I deleted the garlic from the fish balls, and used garlic sparingly in the sauce. Be sure to use fresh tomatoes rather than canned, if possible. I used coconut cream, which made it even richer (I'm sure ordinary coconut milk would be just as good). Served it with plain Jasmine rice and kale sauteed in olive oil with a slivered clove of garlic, moistened with chicken broth and doused with lemon juice-. Is there a Spanish version of this recipe?