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Fish, Americas

Mojo isleño fish with tostones

Mojo isleño fish with tostones is a Puerto Rican dish where pan seared cod fillets are topped with a tomato, green olive and caper sauce, served alongside twice fried plantains. It serves 4, takes 45 minutes, rates medium difficulty, and costs about €4.10 per person. The key to success is frying the tostones twice, which is what makes them crispy.

Tonight, pan seared fish topped with a Puerto Rican olive and caper sauce, served with crispy tostones.

Mojo isleño fish with tostones
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.10
Calories per person
440 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall

The cod sears just long enough to turn golden, then gets covered in a punchy sauce built on vinegar, green olives and capers. Crushed tomatoes add body, bay leaf brings a quiet background note, and the whole thing stays light despite its bold character. This sauce stands apart from the usual fish toppings, sharper and more seasoned.

On the side, tostones bring the crunch that fish in sauce often lacks. This dish takes a bit of organizing, between the simmering sauce and the plantains fried twice, but nothing about it is actually difficult. It's a good way to break from steamed fish routines on a night when you have a little extra time, or to shake things up for a family Sunday.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Green plantains 3

Pantry

  • Green olives 60 g
  • Capers 2 tbsp
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Slice the onions and cook them with the garlic in a little oil until softened. 10 min

    Keep the heat medium, the onion should soften without browning.

  2. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, bay leaves and vinegar, then let it simmer. 12 min

    The vinegar gives the mojo its bright edge, don't leave it out.

  3. Peel the plantains, cut them into thick chunks and fry them over medium heat. 8 min

    Score the skin to peel it off, green plantains are very firm.

  4. Smash the chunks flat with the bottom of a glass, then fry them again until golden. 6 min

    Dip them briefly in salted water before the second fry so they turn out crispy.

  5. Salt the fillets, dust them lightly with flour and sear them in a pan, then top with sauce and serve with the tostones. 8 min

    Serve right away, tostones lose their crunch as they cool.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick plantains that are very green and firm, they hold up to frying much better than ripe ones that turn mushy.
  • Let the sauce simmer covered so it thickens without reducing too much, the tomatoes should stay juicy.
  • Dust the fillets with flour very lightly so they don't stick to the pan without covering up the fish flavor.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for pollock or monkfish, firm fish that hold up well in a pan.
  • For a vegetarian version, spoon the same mojo sauce over grilled eggplant slices.
  • To save time, use pre sliced plantains fried just once instead of homemade tostones.

What to serve it with

  • Plain white rice
  • Avocado and red onion salad
  • A squeeze of lime over the fish

Storage

The sauce keeps for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container and reheats gently in a pan. The tostones don't keep, they lose their crunch as soon as they cool and shouldn't be frozen.

Questions about this dish

Can I leave out the capers if I don't like them?

Yes, you can skip them without throwing off the sauce, the vinegar and olives still keep it balanced. It will taste slightly milder but still bright.

Can I make the mojo sauce ahead of time?

Yes, the sauce comes together easily the day before and reheats gently before serving. It actually tastes better after resting overnight.

Why are tostones fried twice?

The first fry cooks the plantain through, the second one turns it golden and crispy once it's been smashed flat. That double frying is what gives tostones their signature texture.

Can I use ripe yellow plantains instead of green ones?

No, tostones need green, firm, barely sweet plantains. Yellow plantains turn soft when fried, which works for other dishes but not for tostones.

How long does it take to make a mojo isleño fish with tostones?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a mojo isleño fish with tostones?

About 440 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a mojo isleño fish with tostones cost?

About €4.10 per serving, or €16.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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