Brazilian Seafood Moqueca

Step 1

Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and lay them on a plate. This removes surface moisture so they cook evenly instead of steaming.

Step 2

Remove the stem and seeds from the red bell pepper by slicing lengthwise from the top to the bottom on all four sides. Cut the remaining pepper into 1-inch-wide strips.

Step 3

Cut the lime in half and squeeze both halves into a small bowl. Set the lime juice aside.

Step 4

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 10-inch skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Heat the oil for 60 seconds until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan.

Step 5

Add the red bell pepper strips to the hot oil and stir once every 30 seconds for 3 minutes, until the pepper is softened and the edges look slightly caramelized.

Step 6

Pour the canned tomatoes with their juice into the skillet, then add the coconut milk. Stir everything together until well mixed.

Step 7

Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer gently for 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until it begins to bubble slowly at the surface.

Step 8

Lay the fish fillets directly into the simmering sauce and turn the heat to medium. Simmer gently without stirring for 6 to 8 minutes until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily when poked with a fork.

Step 9

Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the squeezed lime juice over the entire dish. Stir gently once to combine the lime into the sauce.