Margarita sauce is the name used to describe a shellfish or seafood sauce white based in Chile. It’s a popular and classic dish to order at the thousand little restaurants on the beach in front of the Pacific Ocean. It is usually served with white rice or mashed potatoes and salads.
I used a frozen shellfish mix sold at Costco for this recipe, which worked like a charm. It was delicious, tender, and flavorful.
This is also a dish popular on Good Friday. I hope you enjoy it!
On this blog, the recipes come from Chilean home cooks who feed their families daily with what is available in the market and what is affordable. So, the understanding of what seafood means is flexible for each of these dishes:
- Empanadas de Mariscos Seafood Empanadas
- Chupe de Mariscos Seafood Casserole
- Paila Marina or Caldillo de Mariscos Seafood Soup
- Cancato Fish
Salsa Margarita Chilean Seafood Sauce
Salsa Margarita is a favorite on top of any Chilean fish.
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 4 fillets of white fish (tilapia, pomfret, sole) or salmon
- 200 grams of clean oysters
- 200 grams of cooked mussels with or without shell
- 200 grams of deveined and tail
- 200 grams of squid cut into rings
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- oil, salt, pepper
- tomato sauce, optional
Instructions
- For the sauce, heat three tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sear scallops, 1 minute per side, add the remaining shellfish, and cook cover for 5-7 minutes, stirring 1-2 times until seafood is cooked. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon, so the broth remains in the pan.
- Add the flour and stir well. Add milk slowly, stirring all the time.
- Add salt and pepper, let boil, and ticking over low heat for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add tomato sauce if you want the sauce to have a rosy hue. Keep warm.
- Cook the fish in another large skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the dried and seasoned fish on the pan, cook for 3 minutes, and turn and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
- Add the seafood to the sauce with the juice. Reserve some for garnish if desired. Stir.
- Serve the fish with the sauce.
Notes
The sauce can be reheated by adding a little water and, over low heat, stirring.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Chilean
Hello Pilar,
What fish do you use here in the US?
I’m from Florida, should I look for a fresh one or frozen fish for this recipe?
Thank you,
Claudia
Red snapper is my favorite for this.
Thank you!!