Grilled Red Snapper Tikin-Xic

Serves 4

• 2 – 1-11/2 lb whole red snapper, grouper, striped bass or bronzini  scaled, gilled, gutted, split and butterflied
• 2 banana leaves (available at Latin or Asian groceries)
• 3 oz. (1 package) achiote paste
• 2/3 cup sour orange juice or Seville orange juice, or if not available use 2/3 cup fresh orange juice and 1/3 cup lime juice
• 4 sprigs epazote (available at Latin stores)
• 8 slices tomato
• 8 slices green onion
• 12 slices purple onion
• 1 gueros pepper sliced lengthwise in 4 pieces or 1 small jalapeño thinly sliced (cross cut)
• Olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 t dried oregano
• Salt and pepper

In a blender combine achiote and fresh juice and mix to a fine paste

Score each fish 4 slices on each side and marinate fish in achiote and juice paste for 4 to 6 hours

Lay out banana leaves and cut into two pieces (or one large if using one fish) large enough to wrap whole fish, with room to spare

Tear off 8 long thin pieces of banana leaves to use as string (if not long enough, tie 2 together with a square knot)

Now is a good time to fire up the grill while you’re wrapping the fish

Add plenty of coals to grill and when coals are white, separate them to form a space in the center with no coals for indirect grilling

Place fish in center of leaves (leaves should be just big enough to wrap the fish), rub with garlic, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

Lay tomato, green pepper and purple onions over fish then add guero or jalapeño peppers, oregano, epazote, a little more salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil

Fold ends of banana leaf over both ends of fish then wrap leaves around fish to make pouch, then tie snuggly with the leaf strings (4 for each fish)

Place fish on grill over indirect heat and cover with vents open (if you’re using a gas grill use med. heat)

Grill for about 7 min. a side and serve in the leaf on a platter