A river bocachico, scaled left on and stuffed with a julienne of sweet pepper, onion, tomato and garlic in achiote oil, then grilled over charcoal. The Lenten symbol of the Magdalena river communities.
Bocachico en cabrito is the Lenten symbol of the river communities along the Magdalena, where bocachico is the emblematic freshwater fish. The technique en cabrito means the fish is cooked without being descaled, the scales forming a protective jacket that steams the flesh inside. It is a preparation ancestral to the Caribbean riverbanks of Colombia, eaten during Holy Week and at riverside gatherings.
The flesh inside the scale jacket is soft, moist and delicate, lifted by the achiote and the sweet-pepper-onion julienne that has steamed into it. The scales, peeled back at the table, are not eaten. The river-fish flavour is clean and faintly sweet.
The fish is opened along the back and the scales are deliberately left on. A julienne of sweet pepper, onion, tomato and scallion is folded in achiote oil and packed into the cavity. Grilling the scaled fish over charcoal cooks the stuffing while the scale layer holds the steam inside, so the flesh poaches in its own juices rather than drying out over the fire.
Variations
Some river cooks wrap the whole fish in bijao leaf before grilling. A Mompox version steams it instead of grilling.
On the Palate
Where Bocachico en Cabrito sits in the Colombian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
6 steps · 30 min
- 15 min
Take 4 whole bocachicos (about 500g each), cleaned but NOT descaled; with a knife open each along the back butterfly-style.
Watch outLeave the scales on when you butterfly the fish — that scale layer holds the steam in so the flesh poaches in its own juices instead of drying over the fire.
- 26 min
In achiote oil, sauté 1 julienned red sweet pepper, 1 julienned onion, 1 seeded tomato in strips and 2 cloves sliced garlic for 4 minutes; season with salt and cumin and cool slightly.
- 34 min
Pack the stuffing into each fish cavity and tie closed with kitchen string.
- 44 min
Light a charcoal fire and let it burn to medium coals; oil the grill grate.
- 512 min
Grill the fish 12-15 minutes per side, basting with more achiote oil, until the flesh at the bone is opaque.
Watch outGrill until the flesh at the bone turns opaque, basting with achiote oil — that's your doneness signal since the skin side is armored in scales.
- 64 min
Carry to the table whole; diners peel the scale jacket back to reach the flesh, and serve with yuca and ají.
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