Pacú al Horno

Pacú is a prized river fish of the Paraná basin, round and flat like a dinner plate, with sweet, firm white flesh and a mild flavour that takes well to stuffing and grilling. It is a specialty of the Litoral, particularly Misiones and Corrientes, where river fishing is a way of life. The fish is cleaned but left whole, the belly stuffed with a mixture of diced tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic and herbs, then baked or grilled until the skin blisters and the flesh flakes. The stuffing infuses the fish from inside, and the sweet flesh absorbs the vegetable juices. Served with mandioca (boiled cassava), it is a complete Litoral meal.

Sweet, firm, moist white fish baked in its skin, the belly stuffed with a savoury, juicy vegetable mélange that has perfumed the flesh from within. The skin chars and blisters, crisping at the edges. Eaten with boiled cassava.

The technique is whole-fish grilling with a vegetable stuffing. The pacú is cleaned through a small incision, leaving the body intact, and the belly cavity is stuffed with a mixture of diced tomato, bell pepper, onion, garlic, oregano and olive oil. The fish is secured with toothpicks or kitchen string, rubbed with oil and salt outside, and grilled over moderate coals or baked at 190 degrees C for 30 to 40 minutes. The stuffing steams inside the closed belly, infusing the flesh, while the skin chars on the outside. The moderate heat is essential; high heat burns the skin before the thick body cooks through.