Tikin Xic (Yucatán-Style Fish)

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1 For the Marinade, wipe outside of chilis with damp paper towel to remove any dust. Heat comal or large heavy bottom skillet on medium-high heat. Toast chilis in hot pan until fragrant, about 10 seconds per side.
• 2 Place chilis and annatto seeds in large heat-safe bowl. Add boiling water; cover. Soak 30 minutes. Remove chilis with tongs or slotted spoon and transfer to blender container. Strain annatto seeds, reserving the liquid. Discard seeds and add reserved liquid to blender container. Add remaining marinade ingredients; cover. Blend on high speed until smooth. Reserve 1 cup of the marinade; set aside.
• 3 Place fish fillets in large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Add remaining marinade; turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• 4 Meanwhile, bring reserved marinade to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to simmer; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• 5 Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove fish from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Place fish, skin side down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with no stick cooking spray.
• 6 Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with sauce, steamed rice, and warm tortillas.
  Test Kitchen Tip: From the Aztec word comalli, a comal is a type of skillet typically used in Mexico, Central America and South America. Originally made from ceramic or clay with a shallow lip, modern comals are large, flat, heavy griddles, typically made of cast iron with smooth cooking surfaces. They can be round, made to fit over one burner on the stovetop, or oval to fit over two burners. Comals are typically used to cook tortillas or sear meats. It is tradition to pass down a comal from mother to daughter.