Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3 ounces achiote paste
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups fish stock or clam juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
• 2 pounds sea scallops, muscle removed, or rock shrimp
• 1/2 cup capers

Browse by ingredient

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. Saute the onions with the salt until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and achiote paste and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to avoid scorching. Add the tomato paste and pour in the fish stock or clam juice and boil 5 minutes longer. Stir in the pepper and vinegar and remove from the heat.
2. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree. Pass through a strainer. The sauce keeps up to 4 days
3. To finish, pour the sauce into a large skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the scallops or shrimp, reduce the heat to medium and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over a bed of white rice and garnish with the capers.