Mexicans in Ringsend: Irish-mexican seafood recipes
By: El Michelín
When Andrea and I moved from our tiny studio in Ranelagh to a more spacious flat in Ringsend, we couldn’t have been happier. Until then, we didn’t know that this small neighborhood had been one of Dublin’s most important ports centuries ago. Another thing I recently learned, thanks to an exhibition by Susan Leen (Rinn Aun, The Place of the Tide) about Ringsend’s geography and its relationship with the sea, is that Ringsend was once known as Raytown. This was because, in the past, stingrays were abundant in this port, and people often fished for them. This sea creature wasn’t highly valued, but the people of Ringsend used to eat it. Additionally, the oil extracted from its skin was used to treat burns. According to an article by Cordula Sherer, stingray bones were also used to fish for crabs.
Even today, it’s possible to eat stingray. We went to Ferrari Takeaway, where they sell it fried, served with chips, and topped with a bit of vinegar. Its flavor isn’t very intense, so if you ever try it, I recommend adding salt, Valentina hot sauce, lime, and soy sauce. However, be careful with the spines and bones. Although they aren’t very hard, they can be bothersome when eating.
During the pandemic in late 2020, the owner of this takeaway, Nunzio Delduce, commented on the implementation of Brexit in the UK, saying that his chips would maintain the highest quality and that he was already looking for alternative suppliers in France and Spain. One might wonder about Irish potatoes, which are historically renowned for their high quality. However, they tend to be expensive and not widely available in supermarkets. Another question that arose for me when I moved to Ireland was the apparent lack of seafood culture, considering I had moved to an island. Irish friends have told me that seafood consumption has only become more common recently. Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire, in an article about The History of Seafood in Irish Cuisine and Culture, points out that in the 17th century, seafood was considered food for the poor, and this became more evident during the famine when people gathered oysters from the shore to survive. JP McMahon also recounts in one of his books how his 70-year-old aunt refused to eat seafood and how, as a child, he feared that a fishbone would kill him.
My childhood memories of seafood revolve around Saturday afternoons in my hometown, Mexico City, when my parents and I would visit a seafood restaurant. At the time, I didn’t like seafood much, so I would order breaded fish fillets (similar to a cod filet), which I loved to top with Valentina hot sauce and lime. My mother would often order prawn soup or fried trout, and when my father had a hangover, he would order an enormous seafood platter called Vuelve a la vida (Come Back to Life). This dish is a mix of prawns, squid, octopus, oysters, and clams, combined with lime, chili peppers, tomato juice, sauces, and ketchup, served with salted crackers. This dish could be compared to a baroque church due to its variety of ingredients and, above all, the harmony of flavors it created on the palate (just describing it makes me hungry!). This type of dish is still far from being offered in Ireland. On one hand, I believe it doesn’t fall under the category of “typical Mexican food” as it is perceived in Ireland, such as burritos, nachos, tacos, quesadillas, etc. But a much more significant factor, as Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire mentions, is that most of the good quality fish caught in Irish waters ends up in countries like France, Spain, Japan, or South Korea.
Image 1. This dish, El Vuelve a la Vida, is the dish that will help you recover from the most brutal hangovers
Tuna Tostada
About a year ago, or maybe less, they expanded the Dunnes behind the 3Arena in Dublin 1. It’s a large Dunnes with a wide variety of products, including a complete seafood section: clams, oysters, octopus, tuna. One day, Andrea decided to make a tuna tostada with an Irish twist. This dish is known for being delicious in Sinaloa or Baja California Norte, where the highest quality tuna is found. For this occasion, Andrea bought a kilo of tuna medallions from Dunnes, sourced from the Indian Ocean. To marinate, you only need lime, garlic, and salt. The tuna must be fresh, and it’s recommended to consume it immediately after marinating to preserve its flavor and freshness.
For the sauce, Andrea used canned chipotles mixed with mayonnaise, which was spread on the tostada. To make the tostada, it’s best to use corn flour to prepare the dough and then make the tortilla. After that, to turn the tortilla into a tostada, a practical method is to bake it for 10 to 12 minutes, checking to ensure it doesn’t burn. Andrea decided to experiment with Irish seaweed. She fried it and added it on top of the tuna. Next, she added a bit of avocado, and for an extra kick, finely sliced jalapeños with soy sauce.
Image 2. For one of the events held last year, Andrea prepared this dish, considered a bridge between Mexican and Irish cuisine. The seaweed gives it a special flavor
The cherry on top to accompany the tostada: a Corona or Modelo beer with Clamato. Gradually, I’ve introduced this drink to Irish friends who initially look at me incredulously when I tell them that beer can be mixed with tomato juice and clam extract. It’s definitely an acquired taste, as the palate needs time to adapt to the spicy, tangy, and sometimes sweet flavors.
This dish, beyond its preparation, is expensive due to the cost of the ingredients. Eating fish in Ireland is undoubtedly a privilege. That’s why we often check the clearance section for products close to their expiration date. When we’re lucky, we find two kilos of octopus for just 10 euros. That’s when we make zarandeado-style octopus tacos. Since grilling is prohibited in our housing complex, we use an air fryer, which gives the octopus a crispy texture. This recipe will be for another blog—or for when we open a seafood restaurant in Ringsend, across from the church, next to the Yacht pub, so people with hangovers can enjoy a Vuelve a la vida with a nice cold beer with Clamato.