How to Make Arepas to Enjoy with Wild-Caught Seafood
September 16th, 2021Crafting Seafood Meals with One of Latin America's Favorite Foods
Arepas are multi-purpose, savory, maize-flour delicacies that you can make very simply by mixing arepa flour and water, shaping them into flat patties and then frying them. You can find arepa flour in most grocery stores or online grocers (we use the PAN brand, but there are many varities out there).
Adding flavor elements such as shredded cheese are the traditional ways to eat it, but we've also been experimenting with adding leftover salmon — which creates something of a pink arepa — right into the dough before shaping the patties.
Alternatively, you can make a classic (seafoodless) arepa dough, and then use your seafood, and other elements like feta cheese or avocado, to stack on top.
But you can also stack arepas with slices of smoked salmon with goat cheese; or a little heap of crab meat and spicy mayo.
The possibilities are truly endless. The key is to stay creative!
Arepas with Wild-Caught Seafood
By Wild Alaskan Company
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total time
15 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup arepa flour (pretty easy to find in most grocery stores or online grocers)
- 1/2 cup water
- Handful shredded cheese
- Sea salt, to taste
- Cooked seafood of choice (to either cook into arepas or to use as a topping)
- High-heat cooking oil
Instructions
1. Combine arepa flour, water, salt and shredded cheese and mix well until it becomes a moist dough. Adding flakes of leftover salmon is an option here, before you start forming your cakes.
2. Form a ball of dough about the size of a golf ball, then gently flatten it between your palms to form a patty. If the patty cracks around the edges, add place the dough back into the bowl and add more water to the mix. If the patty seems soggy, add more arepa flour. When dough is right consistency, form flat patties that are about 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining dough.
3. Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Add arepas to the pan and fry for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Top each arepa with a little butter, avocado, or crema fresca, and pile it high with seafood.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.
