Fried Fish in Adobo
Spain 2026 · On land · Tragatá, RondaDon’t buy a tin; it’s seven pantry ingredients in a bowl.
Start cookingIn JD’s words
The sea bass at Tragatá in Ronda, 17 August 2026, and more importantly, that sauce. It’s on Tragatá’s menu as Lubina frita en adobo, lechuga, pico de gallo y mayonesa de adobo (€28) — Andalusian-style marinated fried sea bass in lettuce wraps with pico de gallo and adobo mayonnaise. It’s their signature main; even the Michelin guide calls it out.
The magic word is adobo — and it’s not technically a sauce, it’s an ancient Andalusian marinade (the same one behind cazón en adobo, the famous fried shark tapas of Cádiz). The cumin is the giveaway. The fish soaks in it for hours so the flavour is in the flesh and blooms in the fry — that’s why it seems to coat every chunk. The tangy mayo is the same adobo folded into mayonnaise.
Important naming note: this is NOT the Mexican adobo (the chilli paste that chipotles come tinned in) and not Filipino adobo either. “Adobo” just means “marinade” in Spanish, and the word travelled everywhere the Spanish went. The Andalusian original has zero chilli — the paprika gives colour and smoke, not heat. Don’t buy a tin; it’s seven pantry ingredients in a bowl.
The same adobo makes a pan sauce for steak — that is its own recipe here, Steak with Adobo Pan Sauce.
Adelaide fish note: gummy shark (flake!) is genuinely the most authentic choice — cazón en adobo, the Cádiz original this riffs on, IS marinated shark. So the humble fish-and-chip staple is accidentally perfect. Barramundi or snapper otherwise.
One buying tip: cumin and smoked paprika go stale fast — buy fresh, or toast whole cumin seeds and grind them for a serious upgrade.
The method
Cook it unhurried.
- 01
The Base Adobo
Whisk everything together and let it sit at least 30 minutes for the garlic and bay to infuse. This is the master flavour that was in every chunk of that sea bass. As a marinade, use as-is: fish 3–4 hours, chicken or pork 2–12 hours. Keeps a week refrigerated.
- 02
The Adobo Mayonnaise
Whisk 2 tbsp of strained base adobo into the mayonnaise, half a tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go — stop when it’s tangy and smoky but still holds its body. That’s the mayo from the lettuce wraps. Keeps 4 days refrigerated.
- 03
The Fish
Cut the fish into big chunks, marinate 3–4 hours in the base adobo, drain WELL and pat dry, dust heavily in coarse semolina or chickpea flour, deep-fry at 180°C until golden. Serve in cos lettuce cups with pico de gallo and the adobo mayo.
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