Name: Picillo de pescado: smoked fish with ají and scallions from Meta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 600 g ready-to-eat hot-smoked freshwater fish, pavón-type when legally available, chilled and clearly labeled; 30 ml neutral vegetable oil, divided; 100 g cebolla larga (Colombian long green onion or scallion), thinly sliced; separate white and green parts; 2 g ground ají, mild or medium; 30 ml water; 10 ml fresh lime juice, optional; 4 plain arepas or steamed rice, prepared separately

Wide platter of Picillo de pescado with scallions and ají, accompanied by a plain arepa and a bowl of rice.

Region San Martín, Meta, in Colombia's Orinoquía

Category Main course; smoked fish sautéed with ground ají and long green onion

Yield 4 servings

Prep time About 15 minutes

Active time About 20 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Picillo de pescado: smoked fish with ají and scallions from Meta

A simple Llanos preparation turns smoke-kissed fish into a warm, savory picillo with ground ají and tender long green onion.

Picillo de pescado is documented in San Martín, Meta, in the Orinoquía region. The local inventory describes smoked fish, pavón-type, flaked and sautéed with ground ají and cebolla larga. That short record captures the dish's defining character but does not give household quantities or a complete method. This recipe is a measured home adaptation of the San Martín description.

The name Picillo is also used for other Llanos fish preparations. A separate Arauca recipe uses salted fish with guiso, while this version follows the smoked-fish description from San Martín. The two are not combined. Pavón is a regional fish name, and the exact species and legal availability should never be assumed from a market label. Buy ready-to-eat hot-smoked fish from an authorized seller with clear species labeling; when pavón is unavailable, a mild hot-smoked freshwater fish is a practical substitute, not a claim of equivalence.

The fish is already smoked, so the pan work is brief: soften the white part of the scallion, bloom ground ají in a little water, then fold in the fish just long enough to heat it through. Green scallion tops finish the dish. Taste before adding salt because smoked fish can be salty. Serve as a main dish with a plain arepa or rice if you like; these are useful serving suggestions, not defining ingredients from the inventory.

Ingredients

Picillo

600 g ready-to-eat hot-smoked freshwater fish, pavón-type when legally available, chilled and clearly labeled
30 ml neutral vegetable oil, divided
100 g cebolla larga (Colombian long green onion or scallion), thinly sliced; separate white and green parts
2 g ground ají, mild or medium
30 ml water
10 ml fresh lime juice, optional

To serve (optional)

4 plain arepas or steamed rice, prepared separately

Method

Keep the smoked fish chilled Leave the fish refrigerated until you are ready to prepare it. Follow its package storage and use-by instructions. Use a ready-to-eat hot-smoked product from an authorized seller; do not use raw or cold-smoked fish as a direct substitute. Keep it separate from raw foods and wash your hands and utensils after handling the package.
Remove skin and check carefully for bones Set the fish on a clean plate. Remove skin and any pin bones with clean fingers or fish tweezers, checking each piece carefully. Flake the flesh into generous bite-size pieces with a fork; avoid turning it into a fine paste.
Prepare the ají Stir the ground ají into the 30 ml water in a small bowl. This disperses the spice before it meets the hot oil and helps prevent scorching. If your ají is particularly hot, start with a smaller amount and add more only after tasting.
Soften the white scallion Heat about two-thirds of the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the white scallion parts and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant but not browned. Lower the heat if they begin to color.
Bloom the ají gently Add the ají-water mixture to the skillet. Stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant and the water has mostly evaporated. Do not let the ground chili scorch, which can make it bitter.
Fold in the smoked fish Add the flaked fish and the remaining oil. Turn it gently through the scallion and ají until coated. Warm just until steaming throughout, stirring carefully so the flakes stay distinct. If using refrigerated ready-to-eat smoked fish, check that the dish reaches 74°C as it is reheated.
Finish and serve hot Fold in the green scallion tops and, if desired, the lime juice. Taste before adding any salt; many smoked fish products need none. Serve promptly with a plain arepa or rice if desired.
Cool and store leftovers safely Transfer leftovers to shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming throughout and to 74°C, measured with a clean thermometer. Do not leave the dish at room temperature for extended serving.

Practical guidance

Practical

Nutrition per serving

These are high-uncertainty recipe-based estimates using generic fish, oil, scallion, chili and lime composition. The type of smoked fish, moisture loss, salt level and fat content can vary substantially, so sodium is especially uncertain. Check the product label for a more useful estimate for the fish you buy. These values are not a laboratory analysis and do not include an optional arepa or rice.

Practical guidance

Choose a clearly labeled smoked fish: The San Martín description says pavón-type fish, but it does not identify a scientific species or establish what is legally sold where you live. Buy a commercially prepared hot-smoked freshwater fish from an authorized seller and follow the package's cold-storage directions. If pavón is not available, a mild hot-smoked freshwater fish works as a practical substitute; avoid presenting another species as pavón. Do not mix same-name regional versions: Picillo can refer to different preparations across the Llanos. This version keeps to the San Martín inventory's smoked fish, ground ají and cebolla larga. The Arauca salted-fish-and-guiso preparation is a separate dish variant; adding its tomato-based guiso here would change the documented profile. Keep the sauté brief: Smoked fish is already cooked, and prolonged frying can make it dry and stringy. Soften the scallion first, disperse ají with water and fold the fish in last. Stop heating as soon as the flakes are hot throughout. Season only after tasting: Smoked fish can contain substantial salt. The recipe deliberately does not add salt up front. Taste a hot flake with the scallion mixture and add a small pinch only if needed. Lime is optional and adds brightness without changing the defining ingredients. Handle smoked seafood as perishable: Keep refrigerated smoked fish cold, follow the package date and storage instructions, and cook it in this dish rather than serving it cold. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C. The recipe contains fish; check the smoked-fish label for additional ingredients and cross-contact information.

Final notes

Picillo de pescado from San Martín is defined by smoked fish, ground ají and long green onion. Keep the flakes distinct, warm them gently and check the fish label because species and salt levels vary. Remember 1: Buy a clearly labeled, ready-to-eat hot-smoked fish and keep it refrigerated. Remember 2: Taste before salting, and reheat refrigerated smoked fish and leftovers to 74°C.

Nutrition per serving

Serving basis: One of 4 portions of smoked fish, oil, scallion, ají and lime; excludes optional arepa or rice
Calories: 310 kcal
Carbohydrate: 4 g
Protein: 35 g
Fat: 17 g
Fibre: 1 g
Sodium: 1,050 mg

Picillo de pescado: smoked fish with ají and scallions from Meta

Ingredients

Picillo

To serve (optional)

Method

Practical

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

La barranca (mazamorra de arroz): a warm rice colada from Popayán

Preparación del pescado de Orocué: grilled fish with guiso and casabe

Preparación de cuy — whole oven-baked cuy with its own viscera