by RYAN MILEJCZAK
When you think of guava, you probably think of sweet dishes like guava pastelitos. And while the guava shines in these applications, it deserves more spotlight in how well it pairs with savory dishes, especially seafood.
The touch of tang and sweetness provides the perfect accompaniment for a wide variety of seafood dishes, from Mexican aguachile (a cousin of ceviche), to grilled shrimp, and many many more. Plus, it provides a punch of essential nutrients to your dish, like vitamin C and folate.
But the question is, how exactly do you use guava in your seafood dishes?
Don’t worry, we won’t leave you guessing. In this article, we’ll walk you through just a few of our favorite dishes pairing guava and seafood.
Aquachile Verde With Guava
Adapted from Rick Bayless
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh squeezed key lime juice
- 1-2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped (can substitute for jalapeño for less heat)
- 2 pink guava, roughly chopped
- 1 lb sushi grade white fish such as tilapia or sea bass, cut into ¼” pieces
- ¼ of a red onion, sliced very thinly
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cucumber, finely diced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Salt to taste
- Tostadas or saltines for serving
Instructions
In a blender, combine lime juice, garlic, guava, serrano chile, about ⅔ of the cilantro, and salt and blend until smooth to create the marinade.
Place your fish, onion, and cucumber in a shallow container and cover with your marinade. Let the fish “cook” in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours. Enjoy cold topped with remaining cilantro on top of tostadas or saltines. For the most traditional experience, top with mexican hot sauce, extra lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce or maggi liquid seasoning.
Roasted Guava Salmon
Adapted from My Colombian Recipes
Ingredients
- 4 8oz salmon fillets
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup orange juice
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Begin by preheating your oven to 450. Season your salmon liberally with garlic powder, salt, and pepper and place it skin side down on a nonstick baking sheet then transfer to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.
While the salmon bakes, make your sauce. Heat the oil over low in a saucepan and sweat your garlic until soft but before it takes any color, 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove salmon from the oven and cover with the glaze, then return to the oven for another minute before removing. Let cool slightly before serving.
Fried Shrimp With Spicy Guava Sauce
Adapted from Alicia’s Pepperpot
Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp Trinidadian green seasoning (can be purchased in Caribbean supermarkets, or you can sub for ~1/2 tsp each cilantro, parsley, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, thyme, and cayenne)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup cornstarch, plus 1 tbsp
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 tbsp water, plus 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt, plus ½ tsp
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ cup panko
- 6 tbsp guava paste
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 sprigs scallions
Instructions
Begin by making the sauce. Add guava paste, pineapple juice, jalapeño, garlic, vinegar, ½ tsp salt, vinegar, and scallions to a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth then transfer to a sauce pot and boil until reduced by a quarter, about 10 minutes. Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp cold water then add to the sauce and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Season shrimp with green seasoning, pepper, salt, and olive oil, then heat oil for frying in a deep fryer or deep stock pot. Set up three shallow containers with one containing cornstarch, one egg wash (beaten egg plus 3 tbsp water), and one breading mix (flour, remaining spices, and panko). Dredge your shrimp in cornstarch, followed by egg wash, followed by breading, then fry until golden brown (3-5 minutes). Serve hot with guava sauce.