Carapaus alimados are a classic of the Algarve summer table. The little fish are fried until crisp, then doused while warm in a bright vinegar, garlic and bay leaf marinade that softens their edges and turns them into something completely different from plain fried fish. It is humble, cheap and wonderful.
Carapau is horse mackerel, a small, oily fish that swims off nearly every stretch of the Portuguese coast, and it’s sold whole and dirt-cheap at every Algarve fish market. In the Azores the same fish is called chicharro and is usually fried and served with a fierier sauce (that recipe is on the site too, if you want the comparison). Carapaus alimados is gentler, more like a warm salad than a main event, traditionally served with plain boiled potatoes to soak up the extra marinade.
Any small, firm fish will work if you cannot find horse mackerel. Lemon wedges on the side are not traditional, but they are welcome.
Carapaus Alimados Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds small whole horse mackerel, cleaned and scaled, or substitute small Spanish mackerel or sardines (see notes)
- Salt, for seasoning the fish
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 1/2 cup)
- For the marinade:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt, to taste
- To serve:
- 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled in their skins and peeled
Instructions
- Season the cleaned fish generously with salt on both sides and inside the cavity. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare the marinade.
- For the marinade, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant and barely golden — do not let it brown or it will turn bitter. Add the remaining olive oil, vinegar, bay leaves, paprika, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a bare simmer, then remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and a good pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Dredge the fish lightly in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the fish in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and arrange in a single layer on a deep serving platter.
- While the fish is still warm, pour the warm marinade evenly over the top, making sure the garlic and bay leaves are distributed over all the fish. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, spooning the marinade over the fish once or twice, before serving — this is the “taming” step, and it’s worth the wait.
- Serve at room temperature, with the boiled potatoes alongside for soaking up the marinade, and crusty bread if you like.
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