Ten Seafood Dishes That Define Campeche's Culinary Identity

Lying beside the sea, Campeche has a culinary scene of its own, abundant in fresh seafood. Its gastronomic identity is enriched by Mayan, Caribbean and Spanish influences, but also by its natural legacy as part of the Yucatán Peninsula. Moro crab, pompano, dogfish, giant shrimp, snapper and squid are heightened with local ingredients such as coconut, chaya, achiote, sour orange, habanero chili, tomatillo, tamarind and cashew.

These ten dishes are a sample of Campeche's culinary identity and maritime wealth.

1. Pan de cazón

Corn tortillas stacked into a tower, spread with refried beans, filled with stewed dogfish and bathed in the traditional tomato and habanero salsa. Served with avocado and pickled onion.

2. Camarones al coco

Whole giant shrimp, battered and coated in finely grated coconut for a golden, crunchy texture. Served with mango, apple or tamarind sauce.

3. Pámpano en verde

Fillets of pompano in a green sauce of tomatillo, green chili and peas, scented with parsley, garlic and cambray onion. Served with avocado and white rice.

4. Manitas de cangrejo

Whole claws of stone crab, cooked and served cold with butter sauce and a fresh green salad.

5. Coctel campechano

A cold seafood mix of shrimp, snail, octopus and squid with oysters and crab meat, marinated in sour orange with red onion, avocado and habanero chili.

6. Tamales de cazón

Tamales in corn leaf (holoch), filled with dogfish stewed in tomato and habanero sauce, steamed with epazote leaves. Served with beans and pickled onion.

7. Filete tikin-xic

Butterfly-cut amberjack marinated in achiote and steamed or cooked in pib (underground), wrapped in banana leaf with onion, peppers, tomato, epazote and chili.

8. Pulpo en escabeche

Octopus cooked in a pickle of sour orange, vinegar, olive oil, garlic and herbs, with slices of onion, peppers and roasted xcatic chilies.

9. Joroches de pescado

White corn dough balls with chaya leaves, in a bean broth, filled with sea bass stewed in tomato and habanero sauce. Served with fried plantain.

10. Calamares rellenos de camarón

Squid in its ink, stuffed with minced shrimp and crab, with tomato, olives, garlic, lemon, herbs and olive oil.