Cádiz, Andalusia
Cádiz's most beloved street food — small cubes of dogfish (cazón, Mustelus mustelus) marinated overnight in a paste of vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, pimentón, and salt, then dredged in flour and fried in olive oil. The adobo marinade tenderises the fish, infuses it with the spice blend, and the slight acidity of the vinegar prevents any fishy smell during frying. The adobo preparation — from the same Arabic root as the word 'adobe' — is one of the most direct expressions of Moorish culinary technique in modern Andalusian cooking: the spice-vinegar marinade for preservation and flavour is documented in the earliest Andalusian cookbooks.
The marinade must penetrate the fish fully — minimum 4 hours, overnight preferred. Use enough vinegar to properly acidify the fish. The spice blend: sweet pimentón, cumin, oregano, garlic — all four are essential. Drain the fish thoroughly before flouring. Fry at 190°C in refined olive oil. The fried pieces should be pale gold and dry to the touch.
Cazón en adobo is available at almost every fritería (fry shop) in Cádiz and Jerez — it is street food eaten from paper cones walking along the seafront. The same marinade-and-fry technique works with any firm white fish. The cumin is essential and non-negotiable — it is the Moorish fingerprint that makes this distinctly Andalusian. Pair with cold manzanilla or fino sherry.
Not marinating long enough — the flavour doesn't penetrate. Using thick cubes of fish — the marinade can't reach the centre. Too much vinegar overwhelming the spice — balance is important. Not draining properly — wet fish produces steam instead of crust.
The Food of Spain by Claudia Roden