Hispanic Heritage · Argentina

El Litoral

Corrientes · Goya · Mercedes · Paso de los Libres · Ituzaingó · Posadas

Explore this kitchen on the animated map ↗

Surubí a la parrilla con chipa guazú

Descubre

Along Argentina’s river country, grilled surubí meets chipa guazú, a savory corn-and-cheese bake with Paraguayan connections. Together they offer an entry into the cooking of the Litoral.

La Gente

Prepare the corn bake before tending the fish, which needs less time. Keep the fish’s seasoning clear and serve lemon separately. The pairing gives the delicate river fish a rich, soft accompaniment.

Sabor

The Litoral cooks mild and green. River fish with lemon and oregano. Corn and cassava with cheese. Garlic and a little paprika where the Paraguayan side of the family leans in. Heat lives in a small hot pepper on the table, if it lives anywhere. The taste is the river and the soil, and the yerba in the gourd afterward.

Spice DNA · Herb medium · Acid medium · Smoke medium · Sweet low · Heat low

Seasonings to explore

Minced Garlic in Olive Oil. On the fish and in the chipa guazú's onion. Adds a savory garlic base.
Oregano, whole. On the fish. The Litoral's herb, as everywhere in Argentina.
Black Pepper, ground. On the fish.
Paprika. In the sopa paraguaya and on the fish for the Paraguayan side of the family.
Parsley flakes. For the day the fresh is gone.
Onion Powder. With the fresh onion in the corn cake.
Crushed Red Pepper. For the table.

From your market: a thick fillet of surubí, dorado, or pacú if a Latin fishmonger has them; catfish or a thick white fish if not. Fresh or frozen corn kernels, a mild melting cheese and a fresh cheese, eggs, onion, milk, and lemons. Badia does not sell the river. Buy the freshest fish you can and it will forgive the substitution.

Cocina

Surubí a la parrilla con chipa guazú

Grilled river fish with a fresh corn and cheese cake. The Sunday of the northeast.

Serves 6

Chipa guazú

4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 onion, minced
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Badia Minced Garlic in Olive Oil
½ tsp Badia Onion Powder
1½ cups fresh cheese (queso fresco), crumbled
1 cup melting cheese, grated
3 eggs
½ cup milk
1 tsp salt

The fish

3 lb thick river-fish fillets, skin on
2 tbsp Badia Minced Garlic in Olive Oil
1 tsp Badia Oregano, whole
½ tsp Badia Black Pepper, ground
½ tsp Badia Paprika, optional
Coarse salt
2 lemons
Olive oil

The cake. Heat the oven to 375°F. Cook the onion in the butter with the garlic and onion powder until soft. Blend half the corn coarsely; leave the rest whole. Stir together the corn, onion, both cheeses, eggs, milk, and salt. Pour into a buttered dish an inch and a half deep. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until set in the middle and brown on top. It should be soft, closer to a pudding than a bread.
The fire. Hardwood embers, medium heat. Oil the grate well; river fish sticks.
The fish. Rub the fillets with garlic, oregano, pepper, paprika if using, and coarse salt. Skin side down on the grate, 8 to 10 minutes, until the skin crisps and the flesh is opaque halfway up. Turn once, carefully, 3 to 4 minutes more. Lemon squeezed over as it comes off.
Serve the fish with a square of chipa guazú, more lemon, and a cold tereré if it is summer. It is always summer in Corrientes.

Pueblos del Litoral

Corrientes · Goya · Mercedes · Paso de los Libres · Ituzaingó · Posadas · Oberá · Eldorado · Puerto Iguazú · San Ignacio · Resistencia · Formosa · Paraná · Concordia · Gualeguaychú · Colón · Reconquista