Jonathan Zaragoza is a Chicago-based chef who got his start in professional kitchens working at the Michelin-starred Sepia and Sixteen, before becoming the chef of Masa Azul at 22. Jonathan’s path has taken him throughout Mexico, deep into its rich culinary heritage, to bring its traditions with him to London, Dubai, Paris, and the U.S.

Jonathan Zaragoza

You can find a lot of versions of pescado zarandeado—whole fish that is butterflied, brushed with a chile-spiked mayo-based marinade, and grilled over charcoal—throughout Mexico. While some versions take a light approach to seasoning, this one leans heavily on dried chiles and spices to produce a grilled whole fish with tons of flavor.The marinade is packed with glutamates—soy sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi Seasoning—and the dried chiles and spices complement the char of the marinated fish. But the key to the marinade is the mayo that ties it all together. For one thing, mayo is delicious; taste the marinade, and you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful. More importantly, mayo’s spreadable properties help the marinade coat and stick to the fish. For this recipe, you’re going to ditch the grill grate and cook the fish directly over the coals in a grill basket, which makes for easier flipping. The mayo protects the flesh from the intense, direct heat of the coals; it browns beautifully thanks to the protein and fat it contains; and that fat, as it heats up, will bloom the oil-soluble aroma compounds in the spices and chiles in the marinade.Serve the whole fish with all the fixings—warm corn (or even flour) tortillas, thinly sliced raw onion, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, and fresh limes for squeezing—and you might just think you’re actually on a Mexican beach vacation. If you can find it, swap in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Salsa-Huichol-Hot-Sauce-pack/dp/B06XBRF8DZ?tag=chefsteps02-20">Salsa Huichol</a> for the Valentina hot sauce. It’s a fantastic hot sauce from Nayarit that’s on the table of every respectable marisqueria.

Pescado Zarandeado (Chile-Marinated Grilled Fish)