grilled snapper Archives | CaribbeanPot.com

As the days are getting shorter and nights cooler, it’s a gentle reminder that winter is just around the corner. A time which this son of the Caribbean dreads! With this dish it’s my way of extending the summer by using the outdoor grill and eating alfresco before that’s no longer an option.

You’ll Need…

1 cup olive oil (divided)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
8 cloves garlic (divided)
1 lb pumpkin or squash (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon black pepper (divided)
2 pimento peppers (diced)
3 cups chopped Jamaican Callaloo
1 1/2 tablespoon salt (divided)
8-10 sprigs thyme (divided)
10-14 okra (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon hot Habanero honey (optional)
1 lemon (juice)
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
8 grape tomatoes
1 1/2 lb sweet potato (pre-cooked in salted water)

2 lb Snapper or any fish you enjoy (cleaned)

Notes! While this fish recipe was done on my smoker/grill, it can also be done on a propane or charcoal grill and just as easily in your indoor oven at 375F. May I recommend that you follow along with the video below as much more is discussed there. If making this dish gluten free, please go through all of the ingredients to ensure that they meet your gluten free dietary requirements. If you don’t have the Hot Honey or prefer to keep the ‘heat’ out of the dish, regular honey will work.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saucepan on a medium flame. Add the onion, 3 sprigs of thyme (leaves only), 1/3 of the Pimento Peppers and 1/3 of the garlic and stir well. Turn the heat to medium/low, add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add 1/4 of the pumpkin (diced) and the Jamaican Callaloo (washed and cut). Raise back the heat to medium now.

After 3-4 minutes, add 4 of the Okra (chopped) and stir well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes then turn off the stove and allow it to cool as we prep the fish. Note – with the okra, trim off the stem and ends and discard.

With the sweet potatoes, give them a good wash, slice in 1/2 and cook for 15-20 minutes in salted water.

Make a dressing with the remaining oil, pimento peppers, 1/2 of the thyme which are left back (leaves only), chopped parsley, lemon juice, reserved garlic, spicy honey, 1/2 of the remaining salt and black pepper. Then whisk well to combine.

Line a heatproof tray with parchment paper, foil or a banana leaf. Give the cleaned fish a couple cuts down the thickest part of the belly, then season the cavity and exterior with the remaining salt and black pepper. After which you’ll place the stuffing in the cavity of the fish and allow the excess to overflow out onto the tray.

Place the pre cooked sweet potatoes, remaining Okra (whole or sliced down the middle), tomato and sliced pumpkin (about 1/2 inch thick).

Drizzle on the dressing over everything and give a good toss if you want. In my case I knew during cooking the dressing would get to the underside of everything. Top with the remaining sprigs of thyme.

After 20 minutes in my 375 F grill, I went in with a spoon and titled the pan a bit. I was able to spoon some of the juices over everything again. Be mindful the pan will be HOT!

45 minutes later (uncovered) and the pumpkin was tender, tomato blistered and fish fully cooked. The stuffing and sweet potato were pre cooked so no stress there. Top with finishing salt and lemon juice if you want. Time to shut off the grill and enjoy. This is a complete meal for 3-4 people.

Caribbean Herb Grilled Fish

July 21, 2016July 12, 20164 Comments

I may have mentioned this in the past, but growing up on the islands I never liked fish and I think the same can be said about my brother and sisters (mom had a tough time with us). While I outgrew this, I still think my sisters are not fans of fish to this day. My brother on the other hand, elevated his taste buds.. so it’s not strange to see him at seafood restaurants in New York sitting behind a massive lobster feasting away. While my fav fish dish is my mom’s curry Kingfish, during the summer months this grilled fish is something I do quite often. So as we continue July’s Month Of Grilling, I thought I’d share this herb grilled fish recipe with you.

You’ll Need…

Large Fish (I used a snapper)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
6 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic (crush or chopped fine)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
2 scallions (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 lemon (slices)
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 medium tomato
1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional)

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, do pay attention to all the ingredients listed (especially the soy sauce) to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. This marinade will be enough for 3 medium fish or 2 large ones.

Chop, squeeze, slice and grate the ingredients, then place them all in a bowl and give it a good mix. Remember when using scotch bonnet peppers (any hot pepper) to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after (suggest wearing gloves) and don’t include the seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds if you want to avoid the ‘raw’ heat.

Clean and wash the fish (I like washing with water and either lemon or lime juice) you’re using and pat dry with paper towels. Then make 2 cuts down the thickest part of the belly to help the marinade do it’s thing and to ensure the fish cooks somewhat evenly. Place the fish in a bowl and pour on half the marinade. Work the marinade in the cuts and cavity of the fish. Since there’s lime juice in the marinade, we’ll only allow this to marinate for about 5 minutes or it will start cooking the fish.

As the fish marinates you can go get your fire started. I used a charcoal fire, but this works good on a propane grill as well. You have a couple options for grilling the fish, you can wrap in tin foil or use a fish grilling wire basket -thing (cheap at Walmart). Place 2 slices of the lemon on the inside of the wire basket, then a sprig of parsley and another lemon slice. Now place the marinated fish (try to keep as much marinade on it) and repeat with the slices of lemon and parsley before closing the wire contraption.

Unlike how we did the Drunk Chicken (indirect heat), this time we want the fish directly over the heat source. The slices of lemon will not only add flavor to the fish as it grills, it will help protect it from the direct heat.

The size/thickness and how well-done you like your fish, will determine how log to cook your fish. For me I had it over the direct heat for about 25 minutes in total. Flipping over every 4 minutes or so. The wire basket makes this really simple (once you lock the hinge) and if you want you can use the remaining marinade to baste the fish as it grills. I like adding the marinade near the end, just before I remove the fish off the grill and get ready to serve. That final blast of heat awakens all the flavors of the marinade for a wonderful finish. Make extra marinade and serve as a dipping sauce!

My appreciation for fish only happened after moving away from the islands, where I would have access to fresh out of the ocean goodness. Today I try to shop at fish markets where I know there’s a lot of foot traffic and turnover, so I tell myself I’m getting fresh stuff (as can be expected). You can make this marinade and store it in the fridge for a solid week. You can use any of your favorite fish for this recipe (may be a bit too bold for salmon..but I’m not a fan of salmon). In my case I try to only eat salt water fish as I get a sort of ‘muddy’ taste when I eat lake or river fish. The salt in the marinade was enough for me (with the soy sauce), but you can sprinkle on some sea salt after grilling.. to your liking.

Seafood

Caribbean Inspired Grilled Red Snapper.

June 7, 2012June 7, 201215 Comments

Today I thought I share a tasty grilled red snapper recipe with you all, as part of my month of grilling (June). This Caribbean inspired grilled red snapper will cause your taste buds to go into a state of frenzy and confusion as they’re hit with bite after bit of exciting Caribbean flavors. I grew up eating fish three ways when I was younger.. fried, curry and stewed, but the past few years have seen me adopt new and exciting ways to prepare seafood. In a few days I’ll share another grilled fish recipe with you, but this time we’ll do an accompanying sauce to go with it.

Special Thanks! I have to take a minute to thank everyone at Chelsea Brand out of Toronto for their generosity in sending me a huge supply of Red Snappers to use in my recipes. Please look for the Chelsea Brand when shopping for seafood at your local grocery store.

You’ll Need…

1 Red Snapper (1-2 lbs)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs dill (optional)
2 slices lemon
1 scallion
1 pimento pepper (see note below)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon coconut milk
banana leaves for wrapping the fish

Notes: Pimento pepper is a flavor pepper, without any heat and also known as seasoning or flavor pepper in the Caribbean. When using scotch bonnet peppers, use gloves and if you’re concerned about the raw heat, avoid using the seeds. If you can’t source banana leaves, use tin foil or parchment paper.

Scale, trim and wash your fish. The fish I was using was already cleaned and gutted, but still had some fins, so using my kitchen scissors I trimmed those off. I then washed the fish with some lime juice (use lemon or vinegar) and cool water (pat dry with paper towels). Then using a sharp knife I made shallow cuts every 1 inch or so (see pic).

I then chopped the scotch bonnet and pimento pepper (huge pieces). Using the back of my knife I tapped on the scallion to bruise it to release it’s flavors and I sliced a couple slices of the lemon.

You’ll need to have the bottom part (belly) of the fish cut open to have a sort of cavity to stuff all the wonderful seasonings. Fold the scallion and tuck in into the belly of the fish as well as the other items (thyme, dill, peppers).

Place the now stuffed fish on the banana leaves (see video below) and season with the black pepper and slat. Turn the fish over to get both sides and using your fingers, try to get some into the small cuts we made. Place the 2 slices of lemon on top of the fish, then pour the coconut milk over it.

Fold the banana leaves over the fish (try to tuck it in to secure) to form a sort of parcel (seal the ends as well). Now place on a hot grill (about 375F).. I used a grill with three burners, so the burner to the far left I left on high and the 2 burners directly below the fish I had on med/low). Close the lid of the BBQ and allow ti to cook for about 12-15 mins (depending on how thick your red snapper is). Then flip and let cook for the same amount of time of this side. If you find that your flame is burning off the banana leaf, turn the heat down to low.

It’s normal for the banana leaves to go charred, so don’t freak! Your grilled snapper is now read. Using a pair of scissors (be careful as there may be steam as you open) cut the parcel open and enjoy. You”l be hit with the lovely fragrance of the coconut milk and other good things we used in stuffing the fish. If your lemon slices are charred, you’ll also get that lovely perfume of lemon oil. Remember this is a whole fish your eating, so be prepared for the bones.

I can’t tell you how many requests I get for this grilled fish every summer. I urge you to try this one and share it with family and friends (blow them away with your skills).

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

grilled snapper

The Ultimate Grilled Snapper.

Caribbean Herb Grilled Fish

Caribbean Inspired Grilled Red Snapper.

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