[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":418},["ShallowReactive",2],{"recipe:salvadoran-mariscada":3,"recipe:country:el-salvador":196},{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"pronunciation":7,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"emoji":10,"summary":11,"intro":12,"story":13,"whyThis":14,"tips":19,"substitutions":26,"variations":39,"serveWith":49,"storage":51,"faq":52,"equipment":68,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":73,"cookMinutes":74,"difficulty":75,"course":76,"diet":79,"mainIngredients":82,"ingredients":88,"instructions":149,"nutrition":173,"images":179,"keywords":189,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-mariscada","Mariscada Salvadoreña (Creamy Pacific Seafood Stew)","Mariscada salvadoreña","mah-rees-KAH-dah","el-salvador","La Libertad and the Pacific coast","🦐","Shrimp, clams, crab and white fish poached in an achiote-stained broth enriched with cream — the pale orange bowl served at every beach comedor on the Salvadoran coast.","Mariscada is the seafood stew of the Salvadoran Pacific: a wide bowl of shrimp, clams, crab and chunks of firm white fish sitting in a broth that is orange from achiote and thickened at the end with cream. It tastes of the shellfish first — sweet, saline, unmistakably fresh — with a soft dairy roundness behind it and a squeeze of lime cutting across the top. Unlike most Latin American seafood soups it is not tomato-driven or spicy; the vegetables melt into the background and the cream is what makes it Salvadoran. It is a lunch dish, served with white rice, a stack of tortillas and lime wedges.","El Salvador is the only country in Central America with no Caribbean coastline, so its entire seafood culture faces the Pacific — a stretch of about 300 kilometres from the surf points of La Libertad down to the mangrove estuaries of the Gulf of Fonseca. That coast supplies shrimp from the estuaries, blue crab, snapper and corvina from the boats, and the black conch that goes into the raw shellfish cocktails sold on the sand. Mariscada is the dish that gathers all of it into one pot: whatever the boats brought in, cooked briefly in a single broth so nothing dominates.\n\nThe cream is the argument. Purists on the coast will tell you that a mariscada should taste of the sea and that the crema is a concession to inland tastes; others insist the stew is not mariscada at all without it, and that the dairy is exactly what distinguishes the Salvadoran version from the tomato-based cazuelas of neighbouring countries. Both versions are cooked and both are sold, sometimes at the same beachfront comedor under different names. What is not disputed is that the cream goes in at the end, off a hard boil, or it splits.\n\nThe rest of the technique is about restraint and order. Shells and heads make a quick stock so the base actually tastes of shellfish rather than of vegetables. Achiote goes in early for colour. Then the seafood is added in reverse order of how long it needs — fish and clams first, shrimp last, crab whenever it is convenient because it is usually pre-cooked. The whole cooking window from first fish to the table is under ten minutes, which is why mariscada is a dish that rewards having everything cut, cleaned and lined up before the pot goes on the heat. Overcook it and you get a bowl of rubber in a lovely broth.",[15,16,17,18],"Builds a fast shellfish stock from the shrimp shells, so the broth has real depth instead of relying on cream alone.","Stages the seafood by cooking time, which is the only way to get shrimp, fish and clams all correctly done in one pot.","Adds the cream off the boil and explains why — a split broth is the most common failure of this dish.","Honest about the coastal argument over whether cream belongs in mariscada at all, and how to cook it either way.",[20,21,22,23,24,25],"Peel the shrimp first and simmer the shells with the heads for 15 minutes while you chop. That stock is what separates a real mariscada from seafood in cream sauce.","Buy clams the day you cook them, soak them in salted water for 20 minutes to purge sand, and discard any that stay open when tapped.","Cut the fish into large 4 cm chunks. Small pieces disintegrate into shreds during the short simmer and cloud the broth.","Add the cream when the broth is steaming but not bubbling, and never let it return to a rolling boil afterwards.","Squeeze lime into the individual bowls rather than the pot — acid added to the whole batch dulls the shellfish sweetness within minutes.","If you cannot get whole crab, a handful of picked crab meat stirred in at the very end gives the flavour without the wrestling.",[27,31,35],{"original":28,"swap":29,"note":30},"Crema salvadoreña","Heavy cream, or crème fraîche loosened with a little milk","Salvadoran crema is thick and slightly sour. Heavy cream is the safest home swap; sour cream alone will curdle in the hot broth.",{"original":32,"swap":33,"note":34},"Fresh clams","Mussels, or an extra 200 g of shrimp","Mussels cook in the same time and open the same way. If neither is available the stew still works, but you lose some of the briny backbone.",{"original":36,"swap":37,"note":38},"Achiote paste","1 tsp sweet paprika plus a pinch of turmeric","This matches the colour reasonably well. Achiote has a faint peppery, earthy note that paprika does not fully reproduce.",[40,43,46],{"name":41,"description":42},"Mariscada roja","The tomato-forward version made without cream, closer to the seafood cazuelas of neighbouring Honduras and Guatemala. Sharper and lighter, and preferred by many coastal cooks.",{"name":44,"description":45},"Sopa de conchas","Built on curiles — the black clams harvested from mangrove mud in the Gulf of Fonseca — which give a much darker, stronger, almost mineral broth.",{"name":47,"description":48},"Mariscada con plátano","Chunks of green plantain simmered in the broth from the start, so they soften and thicken the stew slightly. Common in home kitchens where the seafood has to stretch.",[50],"White rice, warm corn tortillas and a plate of lime wedges — the standard beach-comedor set-up.","Mariscada is best eaten the day it is made. Leftovers keep one day in the fridge and should be reheated gently in a covered pan over low heat until just steaming; boiling will make the shrimp tough and split the cream. Do not freeze the finished stew — the seafood turns woolly and the broth separates on thawing. If you want a head start, make the shellfish stock and the achiote vegetable base up to two days ahead and add the seafood and cream fresh.",[53,56,59,62,65],{"question":54,"answer":55},"Why did my broth curdle when I added the cream?","The stew was boiling, or the cream was too low in fat. Dairy proteins tighten and separate in acidic liquid at high heat, and shellfish broth with lime is acidic. Take the pot off the heat, let the bubbles subside, then stir the cream in and return it only to a bare steam. Full-fat cream is far more stable than sour cream or milk.",{"question":57,"answer":58},"Can I use frozen seafood?","Yes, and most inland cooks do. Thaw it slowly in the fridge overnight and pat it very dry, because water clinging to frozen shrimp dilutes the broth. Frozen shrimp cook a touch faster than fresh, so check them a minute early — they are done the instant they curl and turn opaque.",{"question":60,"answer":61},"What fish should I use for mariscada?","Any firm white fish that holds together: snapper, corvina, sea bass, grouper, cod loin or monkfish. Cut it into large chunks. Delicate flatfish like sole or thin tilapia fillets fall apart in the broth and turn the stew cloudy.",{"question":63,"answer":64},"Is mariscada spicy?","No. It is a mild, creamy stew seasoned mainly with achiote, garlic, onion and cilantro, and heat is added at the table if at all. The chile bottle at a Salvadoran seafood comedor exists for the diner, not the cook, which makes the dish easy to serve to a mixed table.",{"question":66,"answer":67},"How do I know when the clams are ready?","They open. Cover the pot and check after 4–5 minutes; any clam that has opened is cooked and any that stays firmly shut after 8 minutes should be thrown away rather than prised open. Cooking them longer than needed makes them shrink and toughen, so lift them out as they open if the rest of the stew needs more time.",[69,70,71],"Large wide pot with a lid","Small saucepan for the shell stock","Fine sieve",4,30,35,"medium",[77,78],"main","soup",[80,81],"pescatarian","gluten-free",[83,84,85,86,87],"shrimp","clams","white-fish","crab","heavy-cream",[89,94,96,98,102,107,110,113,117,120,124,126,130,135,139,142,145],{"ref":83,"qty":90,"unit":91,"name":92,"group":93},400,"g","large shell-on shrimp, peeled, shells and heads reserved","Seafood",{"ref":85,"qty":90,"unit":91,"name":95,"group":93},"firm white fish (snapper, sea bass or cod loin), in 4 cm chunks",{"ref":84,"qty":90,"unit":91,"name":97,"group":93},"clams, purged in salted water",{"ref":86,"qty":99,"unit":100,"name":101,"group":93},2,"piece","small cooked crabs, halved, or 150 g picked crab meat",{"ref":103,"qty":104,"unit":100,"name":105,"group":106},"onion",1,"onion, finely chopped","For the broth",{"ref":108,"qty":104,"unit":100,"name":109,"group":106},"bell-pepper","red bell pepper, finely diced",{"ref":111,"qty":104,"unit":100,"name":112,"group":106},"carrot","carrot, finely diced",{"ref":114,"qty":72,"unit":115,"name":116,"group":106},"garlic","clove","garlic, finely chopped",{"ref":118,"qty":99,"unit":100,"name":119,"group":106},"tomato","ripe tomatoes, chopped",{"ref":121,"qty":104,"unit":122,"name":123,"group":106},"achiote","tsp","achiote paste or ground annatto",{"ref":125,"qty":73,"unit":91,"name":125,"group":106},"butter",{"qty":104,"unit":127,"name":128,"noScale":129,"group":106},"l","water, for the shell stock",true,{"ref":87,"qty":131,"unit":132,"name":133,"group":134},250,"ml","heavy cream or Salvadoran crema","To finish",{"ref":136,"qty":72,"unit":137,"name":138,"group":134},"cilantro","tbsp","cilantro, chopped",{"ref":140,"qty":99,"unit":100,"name":141,"optional":129,"group":134},"culantro","culantro leaves, whole",{"ref":143,"qty":99,"unit":100,"name":144,"group":134},"lime","limes, in wedges",{"qty":146,"unit":147,"name":148,"group":134},null,"to taste","salt and white pepper",[150,154,157,161,166,170],{"title":151,"text":152,"timerSeconds":153},"Make a fast shell stock","Simmer the reserved shrimp shells and heads in the water with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes, pressing the heads against the side of the pan to release their juices. Strain and keep the liquid — it should smell strongly of shellfish and be pale coral in colour.",900,{"title":155,"text":156},"Sweat the vegetables","Melt the butter in a wide pot and cook the onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic over medium heat until soft and glossy but not coloured, about 8 minutes. Stir in the achiote until the vegetables are evenly stained orange and the fat around them turns bright.",{"title":158,"text":159,"timerSeconds":160},"Build the broth","Add the tomatoes and cook until they collapse and lose their raw edge, about 4 minutes, then pour in the strained shell stock. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes so the flavours join and the broth reduces slightly.",600,{"title":162,"text":163,"timerSeconds":164,"tip":165},"Add the seafood in order","Slide in the fish chunks and the clams, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Add {qty:shrimp} of peeled shrimp and the crab, cover again and give it 3 minutes more — the shrimp are done the moment they curl into a loose C and turn opaque.",420,"A tight, tense curl means overcooked. Pull the pot off while they still look slightly underdone; residual heat finishes them.",{"title":167,"text":168,"tip":169},"Cream it off the heat","Take the pot off the burner and wait until the surface stops bubbling. Stir in the cream, then return it to the lowest heat just until it steams. Taste and correct with salt and white pepper — the broth should be rounded and sweet, not floury.","Any return to a rolling boil at this point will split the cream and there is no way back.",{"title":171,"text":172},"Serve with lime alongside","Scatter the cilantro and culantro over the pot, then ladle into wide bowls making sure each one gets shrimp, fish, clams and a piece of crab. Serve with rice, tortillas and lime wedges to be squeezed at the table.",{"calories":174,"protein":175,"carbs":176,"fat":177,"fiber":99,"sodium":178,"estimated":129},470,42,12,27,890,[180,183,185,187],{"src":181,"alt":182},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-mariscada\u002Fhero.jpg","Wide bowl of Salvadoran mariscada with shrimp, clams, crab and white fish in creamy orange achiote broth",{"src":184,"alt":182},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-mariscada\u002Fhero-16x9.jpg",{"src":186,"alt":182},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-mariscada\u002Fhero-4x3.jpg",{"src":188,"alt":182},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-mariscada\u002Fhero-1x1.jpg",[190,191,83,84,121,192,193],"mariscada","salvadoran seafood stew","pacific coast","creamy stew","2026-08-20","dishroute-kitchen",{"items":197,"total":203,"page":104,"limit":416,"hasMore":417},[198,227,251,275,303,324,331,352,374,396],{"slug":199,"title":200,"nativeName":201,"countrySlug":8,"region":202,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":203,"cookMinutes":204,"difficulty":205,"course":206,"diet":209,"mainIngredients":213,"images":216,"keywords":220,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-casamiento","Casamiento (Salvadoran Rice Married with Red Beans)","Casamiento","Nationwide",10,15,"easy",[207,208],"breakfast","side",[210,211,81,212],"vegetarian","vegan","dairy-free",[214,215,103,108],"rice","black-beans",[217],{"src":218,"alt":219},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-casamiento\u002Fhero.jpg","Plate of Salvadoran casamiento, red beans fried into stained rice, with plantain, fried egg and crema",[221,222,223,224,225,226],"casamiento","rice and beans","salvadoran breakfast","red silk beans","gallo pinto","leftover rice",{"slug":228,"title":229,"nativeName":230,"countrySlug":8,"region":202,"baseServings":231,"prepMinutes":232,"cookMinutes":233,"restMinutes":234,"difficulty":205,"course":235,"diet":236,"mainIngredients":237,"images":240,"keywords":244,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-curtido","Curtido (Salvadoran Lightly Fermented Cabbage Slaw)","Curtido",8,20,5,1440,[208],[210,211,81,212],[238,111,103,239],"cabbage","vinegar",[241],{"src":242,"alt":243},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-curtido\u002Fhero.jpg","Jar of Salvadoran curtido, shredded cabbage carrot and onion in cloudy vinegar brine with oregano",[245,246,247,248,249,250],"curtido","cabbage slaw","salvadoran pickle","fermented cabbage","pupusa topping","vinegar brine",{"slug":252,"title":253,"nativeName":254,"countrySlug":8,"region":202,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":74,"cookMinutes":73,"restMinutes":73,"difficulty":75,"course":255,"diet":258,"mainIngredients":259,"images":264,"keywords":268,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-empanadas-de-platano","Empanadas de Plátano (Plantain Parcels with Milk Custard)","Empanadas de plátano",[256,257],"dessert","snack",[210],[260,261,262,263],"plantain","milk","cornstarch","cinnamon",[265],{"src":266,"alt":267},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-empanadas-de-platano\u002Fhero.jpg","Fried plantain empanadas rolled in cinnamon sugar, one broken open to show thick milk custard inside",[269,270,271,272,273,274],"empanadas de platano","plantain dessert","leche poleada","salvadoran sweets","fried plantain","milk custard",{"slug":276,"title":277,"nativeName":278,"countrySlug":8,"region":279,"baseServings":280,"prepMinutes":281,"cookMinutes":282,"restMinutes":283,"difficulty":284,"course":285,"diet":286,"mainIngredients":287,"images":292,"keywords":296,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-gallo-en-chicha","Gallo en Chicha (Rooster Stewed in Fermented Corn Wine)","Gallo en chicha","Western highlands",6,40,120,720,"hard",[77],[212],[288,289,290,291],"chicken","corn","brown-sugar","sesame-seeds",[293],{"src":294,"alt":295},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-gallo-en-chicha\u002Fhero.jpg","Dark glossy stew of rooster pieces with prunes in fermented corn sauce, served in a shallow bowl with rice",[297,298,299,300,301,302],"gallo en chicha","salvadoran festival food","fermented corn","chicha","sweet and sour stew","panela",{"slug":304,"title":305,"nativeName":306,"countrySlug":8,"region":202,"baseServings":280,"prepMinutes":232,"cookMinutes":204,"restMinutes":282,"difficulty":205,"course":307,"diet":309,"mainIngredients":310,"images":313,"keywords":317,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-horchata-de-morro","Horchata de Morro (Toasted Morro Seed Drink)","Horchata de morro",[308],"drink",[210,211,81,212],[291,311,214,312,263],"cocoa","peanuts",[314],{"src":315,"alt":316},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-horchata-de-morro\u002Fhero.jpg","Tall glass of Salvadoran horchata de morro, opaque nutty brown drink over ice with a cinnamon stick",[318,319,320,321,322,323],"horchata de morro","salvadoran drink","morro seeds","toasted seed drink","cacao","agua fresca",{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":73,"cookMinutes":74,"difficulty":75,"course":325,"diet":326,"mainIngredients":327,"images":328,"keywords":330,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},[77,78],[80,81],[83,84,85,86,87],[329],{"src":181,"alt":182},[190,191,83,84,121,192,193],{"slug":332,"title":333,"nativeName":334,"countrySlug":8,"region":335,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":73,"cookMinutes":336,"difficulty":75,"course":337,"diet":339,"mainIngredients":340,"images":341,"keywords":345,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-panes-con-pollo","Panes con Pollo (Salvadoran Braised Chicken Sandwiches)","Panes con pollo","San Salvador",55,[77,338],"street-food",[212],[288,118,291,121],[342],{"src":343,"alt":344},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-panes-con-pollo\u002Fhero.jpg","Split Salvadoran roll filled with shredded chicken in red relajo sauce, watercress, radish and cucumber slices",[346,347,348,349,350,351],"panes con pollo","salvadoran sandwich","relajo","braised chicken","central american","pan con pavo",{"slug":353,"title":354,"nativeName":355,"countrySlug":8,"region":356,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":74,"cookMinutes":73,"restMinutes":203,"difficulty":75,"course":357,"diet":358,"mainIngredients":359,"images":363,"keywords":367,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-pupusas","Pupusas (Salvadoran Stuffed Corn Cakes)","Pupusas de queso con frijol","Central Valley",[338,77],[210,81],[360,361,362,215],"masa-harina","mozzarella","queso-fresco",[364],{"src":365,"alt":366},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-pupusas\u002Fhero.jpg","Stack of griddled Salvadoran pupusas with melted cheese escaping the seam, curtido and tomato salsa alongside",[368,369,370,371,245,372,373],"pupusas","salvadoran","masa","street food","stuffed corn cakes","national dish",{"slug":375,"title":376,"nativeName":377,"countrySlug":8,"region":378,"baseServings":280,"prepMinutes":281,"cookMinutes":379,"difficulty":284,"course":380,"diet":381,"mainIngredients":382,"images":385,"keywords":389,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-sopa-de-pata","Sopa de Pata (Salvadoran Cow Foot and Tripe Soup)","Sopa de pata","San Miguel and the east",240,[78,77],[81,212],[383,384,289,238],"tripe","cassava",[386],{"src":387,"alt":388},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-sopa-de-pata\u002Fhero.jpg","Deep bowl of Salvadoran sopa de pata with cow foot, tripe, corn rounds, cassava and cabbage in clear broth",[390,391,392,393,394,395],"sopa de pata","cow foot soup","tripe soup","salvadoran soup","green banana","gelatinous broth",{"slug":397,"title":398,"nativeName":399,"countrySlug":8,"region":400,"baseServings":72,"prepMinutes":401,"cookMinutes":402,"difficulty":75,"course":403,"diet":404,"mainIngredients":405,"images":407,"keywords":411,"publishedAt":194,"updatedAt":194,"authorSlug":195},"salvadoran-yuca-con-chicharron","Yuca con Chicharrón (Cassava with Fried Pork)","Yuca con chicharrón","Nationwide, especially town fairs",25,75,[77,338],[81,212],[384,406,118,238],"pork-belly",[408],{"src":409,"alt":410},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsalvadoran-yuca-con-chicharron\u002Fhero.jpg","Boiled cassava chunks topped with crackling fried pork and curtido on a banana leaf, tomato salsa poured over",[412,384,413,414,245,415],"yuca con chicharron","fried pork","salvadoran street food","banana leaf",24,false,1787360070155]