Name: Mestizo de pescado salado y fresco — Quibdó Salted-and-Fresh Bocachico Stew
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 900 g commercially salted bocachico, before desalting; 900 g fresh bocachico, whole before cleaning; 60 ml lemon or lime juice; 2 g fine salt to start; add more only after tasting; 900 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces; 100 g firm green banana, peeled and cut into thick pieces; 450 g red onion, finely chopped; 30 g spring onion, thinly sliced; 30 g peeled garlic, crushed or finely chopped; 20 g fresh culinary azotea-style herbs, finely chopped; use known edible herbs such as cilantro and local aromatic herbs; 30 ml neutral oil; 1.4 litres water, divided

Wide view of a bowl of salted-and-fresh bocachico stew with potatoes and herbs.

Region Quibdó, Chocó, Colombian Pacific

Category Salted-and-fresh freshwater fish stew

Yield 6 servings

Preparation time About 25 minutes, plus 8–12 hours to desalinate the salted fish

Active time About 45 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Mestizo de pescado salado y fresco — Quibdó Salted-and-Fresh Bocachico Stew

Salted and fresh river fish simmer with potatoes, banana and fragrant azotea herbs in this documented Quibdó preparation.

Mestizo de pescado salado y fresco is a Quibdó dish that brings two preparations of bocachico into the same pot: salted fish, soaked to remove some of its salt, and fresh fish. Potatoes, red onion, garlic, spring onion, herbs and a small amount of banana make a brothy, filling stew. The name and recipe are recorded in Ministry of Culture publications about traditional cooking in Chocó and the Colombian Pacific.

The published household version lists the ingredients and sequence but leaves several quantities open. This practical six-serving edition measures the vegetables, oil, water and herbs so a home cook can repeat it. The source says “¼ de banano” without specifying the fruit’s size or maturity; this version uses 100 g firm green banana as a clear working choice. The amounts are an adaptation, not a claim that every Quibdó household cooks it the same way.

Salted bocachico varies in saltiness, size and cut. Use commercially prepared salted fish, soak it in the refrigerator, and taste the broth before adding any more salt. Bocachico also has many fine bones. Cut the fish into manageable portions, check carefully as you serve, and remove bones for diners who may have trouble spotting them. The fish cooks in the pot for 20 minutes, but a thermometer reading of 62.8°C in the thickest flesh is the dependable doneness check.

Ingredients

Fish and seasoning

900 g commercially salted bocachico, before desalting
900 g fresh bocachico, whole before cleaning
60 ml lemon or lime juice
2 g fine salt to start; add more only after tasting

Potato and herb base

900 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm pieces
100 g firm green banana, peeled and cut into thick pieces
450 g red onion, finely chopped
30 g spring onion, thinly sliced
30 g peeled garlic, crushed or finely chopped
20 g fresh culinary azotea-style herbs, finely chopped; use known edible herbs such as cilantro and local aromatic herbs
30 ml neutral oil
1.4 litres water, divided

Method

Desalt the bocachico under refrigeration Put the salted fish in a covered, food-safe container and cover it with cold water. Refrigerate for 8–12 hours, changing the water once halfway through. Drain and rinse the fish, then keep it cold while you prepare the other ingredients. The soak reduces some salt; it does not make the fish shelf-stable.
Clean and season the fish Clean the fresh bocachico by removing scales, gills and entrails; cut it into portions that will fit comfortably in the pot. Cut the soaked salted fish into similar portions. Place both in a clean covered dish with the citrus juice and 2 g salt, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Keep raw fish and its juices away from ready-to-eat ingredients. Wash your hands, board, knife and work surface with hot soapy water after handling it.
Soften the aromatics Heat the oil in a heavy lidded pot over medium heat. Add the red onion, spring onion and garlic. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the onions are soft and glossy rather than browned. Add the herbs and stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. If the mixture begins to stick, add a spoonful of the measured water.
Cook the potatoes and banana Add the potatoes, banana and 1.2 litres of the water. Cover and bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 18–22 minutes. The largest potato pieces should be almost tender when pierced with a knife. Add some or all of the remaining water if you want a looser broth or if the pot is reducing too quickly.
Simmer both kinds of fish Lay the drained fish portions over the potatoes and spoon broth over them. Return the pot to a gentle boil, cover and cook for 20 minutes, turning the pieces carefully once if their size calls for it. Do not rely on the clock alone: insert a clean food thermometer into the thickest fish flesh, avoiding bone. It must reach 62.8°C. If it has not, continue simmering and check again after a few minutes.
Taste, serve and store safely Taste the broth before adding salt; the salted fish may already season it sufficiently. Serve the stew hot, distributing potatoes, banana and broth with the fish. Warn everyone about bocachico’s many fine bones, and carefully debone portions for children or anyone who needs help. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, keep them cold and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout. This recipe is not a fish-preserving method.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These are rounded estimates, not laboratory measurements. The calculation uses Colombian food-composition entries for fresh and salted bocachico, assumes a 70% edible yield from the measured whole-fish weights, and includes the potatoes, banana, vegetables and oil. Salt retention after soaking is unpredictable, so sodium has especially wide uncertainty; check the product label and season to taste. Optional rice is not included.

Practical guidance

Choose salted fish carefully. Buy commercially prepared salted bocachico from a reliable seller and follow any package instructions. The recipe’s overnight soak is a culinary desalting step, not a substitute for refrigeration. Keep the fish covered and cold during soaking; discard the soak water and do not reuse it as broth. Let the salt level guide the finish. Salted fish can range from mildly seasoned to very salty. The measured 2 g is only a starting amount for the citrus seasoning. Because soaking does not remove a predictable percentage of salt, taste the broth only after the fish has cooked, then add small pinches if needed. A salty product may need no extra salt at all. Keep the banana modest. The written recipe gives a quarter banana without naming its weight or ripeness. The 100 g firm green banana here holds its shape and brings a mild starchy note. A ripe, soft banana would break down faster and make the broth sweeter, so it is not an interchangeable choice in this measured version. Use identifiable herbs. “Hierbas de azotea” refers to culinary herbs grown or gathered locally, and combinations vary. Choose fresh edible herbs you can identify; cilantro with a small amount of another familiar aromatic herb works well. Do not use unidentified wild plants. Chop the herbs finely so they season the broth without forming stringy pieces. Watch the fish and bones. Twenty minutes is the source’s stated simmering time, but the size and thickness of fish pieces differ. Keep the liquid at a gentle boil and check the thickest piece with a thermometer. Bocachico has numerous fine bones, so lift portions carefully and inspect each serving before it reaches the table. Plan the long rest. Start the salted-fish soak the evening before or early in the day. Keep it in the refrigerator throughout. Once cooked, transfer leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days and reheat until steaming hot. Do not leave the pot at room temperature or use the salted fish and soak as a preservation process.

Allergens and food safety

Contains finfish. Check any packaged ingredients for additional allergen statements. Keep fish at or below 4°C during storage and soaking, prevent contact between raw fish and ready-to-eat food, and cook the thickest flesh to at least 62.8°C. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Bocachico contains many fine bones; warn diners and inspect portions carefully.

Final notes

Remember 1: Soak commercially salted bocachico in the refrigerator overnight and taste before seasoning the broth further. Remember 2: Check the thickest fish flesh at 62.8°C and serve carefully around the many fine bones.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: One-sixth of the stew; optional rice is excluded
Calories: About 440 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 38 g
Protein: About 39 g
Fat: About 13 g
Fibre: About 4 g
Sodium: About 1,200 mg

Mestizo de pescado salado y fresco — Quibdó Salted-and-Fresh Bocachico Stew

Ingredients

Fish and seasoning

Potato and herb base

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Allergens and food safety

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Pastel de pescado — Buenaventura Baked Fish and Potato Casserole

Pescado con Cohombros — Buenaventura Fish and Cucumber Appetizer

Pescado Encurtido — Buenaventura Marinated Fish