In the Azores, chicharros are not a fancy fish; they are bought cheaply by the port and fried the same afternoon. Horse mackerel has a poor reputation outside Portugal, but salted, floured and fried hot, it turns golden and crackly outside with sweet, flaky flesh inside.
The real star may be the molho de vilão, a sharp vinegar, onion and garlic sauce poured warm over the fried fish right before serving.
Vilão means villain, a fitting name for a sauce bold enough to argue with the fish and win. It is a distant cousin of the escabeche sauces elsewhere on the site, but brighter and less cooked down, meant to hit the crisp fish while it still hisses.
If chicharros are hard to find, small mackerel, sardines or even smelt take beautifully to the same treatment. Keep children well away from the hot oil.
Chicharros Fritos com Molho de Vilão Recipe
Ingredients
- For the fish:
- 1 1/2 lbs whole small horse mackerel or Spanish mackerel, cleaned and gutted (or substitute sardines or smelt)
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- For the molho de vilão:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Rub the cleaned fish all over with the coarse salt and let them rest in the refrigerator for about 1 hour; this firms up the flesh and seasons it through, the way it is done on the docks in the Azores.
- While the fish salts, make the molho de vilão: warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, and cook gently for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and just turning golden, not browned.
- Add the vinegar, bay leaf, paprika, and pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 3 minutes, season with salt, then remove from heat and keep warm; it should stay bright and a little sharp, not cooked down to a jam.
- Pat the salted fish dry. Combine the flour and black pepper on a plate and dredge each fish lightly, shaking off the excess.
- Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (a pinch of flour dropped in should sizzle immediately). Fry the fish in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp; do not crowd the pan.
- Drain the fried fish briefly on paper towels, arrange on a platter, and spoon the warm molho de vilão generously over the top right before serving so it sizzles slightly on contact.
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