Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Quick Ingredients

1.25 lb (570 g) mullet fillets + 1 lb (450 g) mullet heads/frames (or 1 qt seafood stock)
6 oz (170 g) mullet roe (huevas)
1.5 cups (285 g) long‑grain white rice, rinsed
4 scallions, sliced (whites and greens divided)
1 small red bell pepper, 3/4 cup small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp annatto (achiote) seeds + 1/4 cup neutral oil (for achiote oil)
1/2 tsp ground cumin; 2 bay leaves; kosher salt & black pepper
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
6 cups water, 1/2 onion, 1 celery rib, 6 cilantro stems, 6 peppercorns (for stock)
2 green plantains + 2 cups frying oil (patacones)
1/2 cup suero costeño (or 1/2 cup sour cream + 2 tbsp buttermilk + 1 tsp lime juice + 1/4 tsp salt)
1 lime, cut into wedges; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (garnish)

Do This

1. Simmer heads/frames with aromatics in 6 cups water for 20 min; strain to ~4 cups. Poach fillets in the hot stock off heat, 6–8 min; flake. Keep 3 cups hot stock for rice.
2. Make achiote oil: warm 1/4 cup oil with 2 tbsp annatto seeds until deep orange; strain. Poach roe 8–10 min in stock, slice, and sear in 1 tbsp achiote oil 1–2 min/side.
3. Sofrito: in 2 tbsp achiote oil, sauté scallion whites, red pepper, and garlic; add cumin and rice; toast 1 min.
4. Add 3 cups hot stock, bay leaves, salt; boil, then cover and simmer low 15 min. Rest 10 min off heat.
5. Fluff; fold in flaked mullet, scallion greens, cilantro, and 1/4 cup coconut milk. Season to taste.
6. Mix suero or quick sauce. Fry patacones: first fry at 325°F (163°C) 4 min, smash, then fry at 350°F (175°C) 2–3 min; salt.
7. Serve rice topped with seared roe, suero, and lime; patacones on the side.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Authentic Barranquillero flavors: mullet and its roe, achiote, and a finishing whisper of coconut.
Deep, oceany rice cooked in homemade mullet stock for maximum flavor with minimal effort.
Balanced plate: creamy suero, crispy patacones, and bright lime to wake everything up.
Home-cook friendly: clear steps, exact measurements, and make-ahead options.

Grocery List

Produce: 4 scallions, 1 small red bell pepper, 3 garlic cloves, 1 lime, 2 green plantains, 1/2 onion, 1 celery rib, cilantro
Dairy: Suero costeño (or sour cream + buttermilk)
Pantry: Long-grain white rice, annatto (achiote) seeds or powder, neutral oil, coconut milk, ground cumin, bay leaves, black pepper, kosher salt
Seafood: 1.25 lb mullet fillets, 1 lb mullet heads/frames, 6 oz mullet roe

Full Ingredients

Mullet Stock and Fish

1 lb (450 g) mullet heads/frames (ask your fishmonger)
6 cups (1.4 L) cold water
1/2 small onion, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
6 cilantro stems
2 bay leaves
6 whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp kosher salt (to start; adjust later)
1.25 lb (570 g) mullet fillets

Roe

6 oz (170 g) mullet roe sacs (huevas)
Pinch kosher salt, to season

Achiote Oil

2 tbsp annatto (achiote) seeds
1/4 cup (60 ml) neutral oil (plus more for patacones)
Alternative: 1.5 tsp achiote powder (no straining needed)

Rice and Sofrito

1.5 cups (285 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until mostly clear
4 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens divided)
1 small red bell pepper, 3/4 cup small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
3 cups hot mullet stock (from above; top up with water if needed)

Finish & Garnish

1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 lime, cut into wedges
Black pepper, to taste

Suero-Style Sauce

1/2 cup suero costeño; or mix 1/2 cup sour cream + 2 tbsp buttermilk + 1 tsp fresh lime juice + 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Patacones

2 green plantains
2 cups (480 ml) neutral frying oil
Kosher salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make a quick mullet stock and poach the fillets

Rinse the mullet heads/frames under cold water. Add them to a medium pot with 6 cups water, onion, celery, cilantro stems, bay leaves, peppercorns, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring just to a bare simmer over medium heat; skim any foam. Maintain a gentle simmer (no rolling boil) for 20 minutes for a clean-tasting stock. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot; discard solids. You should have about 4 cups.

Return the strained stock to a bare simmer. Slide in the mullet fillets, remove the pot from heat, cover, and poach off heat for 6–8 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Transfer fillets to a plate to cool slightly, then flake into large pieces, removing any bones and skin. Measure out 3 cups hot stock for the rice (top up with hot water if needed) and keep warm; reserve the remainder for poaching the roe.

Step 2: Make achiote oil and cook the roe

For achiote oil, gently warm 1/4 cup neutral oil with 2 tbsp annatto seeds in a small pan over low heat until the oil turns a vivid orange and just begins to shimmer, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat, steep 5 minutes, then strain and discard seeds. (If using achiote powder, whisk 1.5 tsp into warm oil and skip straining.)

With the reserved stock at a bare simmer, gently lower in the whole roe sacs. Poach for 8–10 minutes (thicker sacs need closer to 10). Lift out, pat dry, and cool 3 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch rounds and season with a pinch of salt. Heat 1 tbsp achiote oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high; sear roe coins 60–90 seconds per side until lightly crisped at the edges. Set aside.

Step 3: Build the achiote sofrito

In a medium heavy pot (with a tight lid), heat 2 tbsp achiote oil over medium. Add scallion whites and diced red bell pepper; cook until softened, 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cumin; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the rinsed, well-drained rice and toast, stirring, for 1 minute to coat each grain with the flavored oil.

Step 4: Cook the rice in mullet stock

Pour in 3 cups hot mullet stock, add bay leaves, and season with about 1 tsp kosher salt (adjust to your stock’s salinity). Bring to a lively simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Do not stir during cooking or resting.

Step 5: Fold in fish, coconut, and herbs

Uncover and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Fold in the flaked mullet, scallion greens, chopped cilantro, and coconut milk. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Cover and let it sit 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the rice absorbs the hint of coconut.

Step 6: Mix suero and fry patacones

Whisk the suero (or the sour cream, buttermilk, lime juice, and salt) until smooth; chill until serving. For patacones, peel plantains and cut each into 4 thick pieces (8 total). Heat 2 cups oil to 325°F (163°C). Fry plantain pieces 4 minutes until pale yellow; drain on paper towels. Flatten each piece between two plates or a tostonera to about 1/4 inch thick. Increase oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry flattened plantains 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain and salt while hot.

Step 7: Plate and serve

Spoon the achiote-tinted rice into shallow bowls. Arrange seared roe coins on top. Drizzle with suero and finish with a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately with hot patacones and extra suero on the side.

Pro Tips

Rinse rice until water runs mostly clear to keep grains separate and fluffy.
Keep the stock at a gentle simmer—boiling makes it cloudy and can turn fish bitter.
Poach fish and roe gently; fold into the rice at the end to keep flakes intact.
Add coconut milk off heat for a fragrant finish that won’t overpower the seafood.
If your stock is very savory, season the rice lightly at first and adjust at the end.

Variations

Different fish: Snapper, sea bass, or hake work if mullet isn’t available. Use their bones for stock.
Dairy-free: Skip suero and serve with avocado slices and extra lime; increase coconut milk to 1/3 cup if you like.
Spicier: Add 1 small ají dulce or a pinch of cayenne to the sofrito.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Stock can be made up to 2 days ahead (refrigerated) or 1 month ahead (frozen). The rice is best the day it’s made, but leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of stock or water. Poached roe can be seared just before serving. Patacones are best fresh; if needed, pre-fry and smash earlier in the day, then do the second fry to order. Suero keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approx. 760 calories; 28 g protein; 72 g carbohydrates; 32 g fat; 4 g fiber; 980 mg sodium (includes two patacones and about 1 tbsp suero per serving; values will vary based on oil absorption and exact salt levels).

Barranquilla-Style Arroz con Lisa with Suero and Lime