Marinated Cazón Recipe with Vegetable Pilau Rice – A Taste of Andalusia

Breakfast in the village, a €2.80 bargain, and a bag of fresh cazón and pink prawns — just another morning in rural Andalusia. Back home, I turned them into something different: a marinated cazón recipe served with fragrant vegetable pilau rice. It’s a simple Spanish fish recipe with a gentle twist of spice - perfect for one hungry cook.

A Morning in the Village

This morning, I walked into the village as I often do. Breakfast was at Alicia’s Bar, where Esperanza was serving. She already knows my order – a café cortado, no sugar; tostada con tomate, and a glass of water. The bill came to €2.80 — una ganga, a real bargain for a peaceful morning in rural Andalusia.

Next door, at Martha’s store, a wooden crate of freshly delivered fish sat glistening on the counter. Among the silvery piles was some cazón — a small dogfish popular here in southern Spain for its firm, meaty texture. I ordered a portion and, for good measure, added a handful of pink cooked gambas to my bag.

Back home, instead of the traditional deep-fried style, I decided to serve the marinated cazón recipe with a bowl of vegetable pilau rice – a bright, spiced one-pan dish with cumin, turmeric, and lemon. A meeting of Spanish simplicity and a touch of Indian warmth.

Ingredients for Marinated Cazón Recipe

For the fish:

150–180 g marinated cazón (dogfish) — drained and patted dry

A handful of pink cooked gambas (prawns)

1 tbsp plain or chickpea flour

Olive oil, for frying

Lemon wedges, to serve

For the vegetable pilau:

100 g basmati rice, rinsed and drained

½ small onion, finely chopped

½ small carrot, diced

4–5 green beans, sliced

2 tbsp frozen peas

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander (optional)

1 tsp olive oil or butter

200 ml hot vegetable stock

Salt, to taste

Fresh parsley or coriander, to garnish

👨‍🍳 Method

Cook the pilau
Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the onion. Cook gently until soft and golden. Stir in the spices, then add the carrot and green beans. After a couple of minutes, stir in the rice and peas, coating them with the flavours. Pour in the hot stock, bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and cook for 12–15 minutes over low heat until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Cook the fish
Lightly dust the marinated cazón with flour. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan and fry until golden on both sides – crisp outside, tender inside. Add the pink gambas at the end to warm through for a minute.

Serve
Spoon the vegetable pilau rice onto a warm plate, top with the cazón and gambas, and finish with a squeeze of lemon and a scatter of parsley or coriander.

Notes from the Kitchen

The light vinegar marinade of cazón pairs beautifully with the earthy spices of the pilau. If you can’t find dogfish, try monkfish, cod, or any firm white fish.

This Spanish fish recipe captures everything I love about living in Andalusia — local ingredients, relaxed cooking, and the small pleasure of turning a village find into something delicious and personal.

If you like the idea of this marinated cazón recipe, then you might want to try the poor man's lobster here.

This recipe is part of my Fish & Seafood Recipes collection — from simple weeknight fish suppers to whole roasted sea bass, seafood stews and the occasional recipe that has no business being as good as it is.
It also features in my Spanish Recipes collection — regional classics, tapas, seafood, rice dishes and food cooked from Andalucía and the road.
And it features in my Rice Recipes collection — a global collection of rice dishes from paella to pilau.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef