World on a Plate: Brazil (+recipe)

Jaqueline Maciel. Photo / The Aucklander

As head chef at Auckland's Savour & Devour restaurant, Jaqueline Maciel prepares Mediterranean and traditional French cuisine.

Jaqueline's Peixe Moqueado

White fish, cut into large pieces
fresh lemon juice
white ground pepper
bay leaves
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/2 kg ripe tomatoes, skinned
brown sugar
salt and pepper
olive oil
200 ml coconut cream
freshly chopped coriander

1. Marinate the fish pieces in fresh lemon juice, white ground pepper and bay leaves. Put to one side.

2. Fry the onion, garlic, celery in a pot until soft. Add the diced tomatoes and keep stirring on a medium-to-low heat, then back to a low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes then add the sugar, salt and pepper and put to one side.

3. In a frying pan, heat 2 Tbs of olive oil and 1/2 tsp crushed garlic. Add the fish and fry both sides slightly.

4. Add enough sauce to cover the fish, together with the coconut cream. Season and add fresh coriander. Serve with plain long grain basmati or jasmine rice.

* For more on Auckland Museum's World on a Plate series, click here.