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Seafood

How to Make Perfect Coconut Stewed Cod Fish Fillets.

Over the years I’ve noticed that fish and seafood recipes do really well on the website, maybe it’s due to the shift from more traditional pork, beef and chicken recipes and more exploration of pescatarian type dishes. While you may notice similarities with this recipe and the Coconut Stewed Fish I did back in 2009, with the additional step of starting with the puree of tomato, onion and garlic, the overall flavor is superb.

2 lbs Cod fillet (washed)
3/4 tablespoon sea salt (divided)
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
3/4 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium tomatoes (rough chop)
6 cloves garlic (rough chop)
1 large onion (rough chop)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato concentrate puree
3/4 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Notes! May I recommend using a firm white fish like snapper, flounder, haddock, halibut or grouper (besides the Cod I used). And if you want it to hold its shape while cooking, get fillets with the skin on, on one side. Additionally you can use a whole fish, simply cut it into pieces, but be mindful of the bones. Please use the video below to follow along as much more about the recipe is discussed there.

Season the Cod (cut into 2 inch pieces) with 1/2 the salt, 1/2 of the black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning and curry powder. Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes.

In a blender, puree the onion, tomato and garlic with 1/4 cup of water. Then heat the olive oil (use any oil you prefer) on a medium flame and as it comes up to temperature add that tomato puree to the saucepan.

As it starts to boil, lower the heat to med/low, add the ginger and smoked paprika and stir well. The goal is to cook this down until all of the liquid is gone. After a few minutes, add the tomato concentrate puree, remaining salt and black pepper and continue cooking.

It will take about 10-12 minutes to cook-down until you get a thick paste and you start seeing the oil we started with.

It will go a much darker red in color and by removing all of the liquid the natural sweetness of the tomato will shine through, along with the other flavors we added.

At this point you’ll add the coconut milk and bring back to a boil (raise the heat back to medium). Stir well to incorporate and cook on a rolling boil for 4 minutes to cook out the rawness of the coconut milk (see video).

It’s time to add the seasoned pieces of Cod fish to the saucepan and being very gentle, stir to make sure the pieces are all coated with the rich coconut tomato sauce.

It will take between 4-5 minutes for the fish to fully cook. You will notice that the Cod will start to flake and the sauce thickens. Top with the chopped parsley and turn off the stove. You may add the juice of 1/2 of a lemon if you wish.

Taste and adjust the salt just before you turn off the stove and should you prefer, you may add chopped cilantro (coriander) or Shado Beni (culantro) instead of the parsley. Additionally, if you want this dish spicy, you may add any hot pepper you like (at the start) and in the amounts you can tolerate.

Seafood

Incredible Jerk Salmon.

Traditionalists will argue (always) that if there’s no pimento wood and resulting smoke involved, it’s not truly Jamaican jerk. So with that in mind (they do have a point as the flavor of that open fire as it kisses the pimento wood is incredible) we’ll loosely call this “jerk” to avoid the hateful comments.

You’ll Need…

3 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon Jamaican Jerk Marinade
2 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1/8 cup rum
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon chilled butter
2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/4 lemon (juice)

Notes! Please use the video below to follow along, especially since I have limited photos for the post as I usually do. I used a spicy jerk marinade, however you may use any you prefer. Even your own homemade Jerk Marinade.

With your clean (check for bones and remove) salmon fillets on your cutting board (or plate), season with the black pepper and salt. NOT THE SKIN SIDE!. Then mix the jerk marinade with one tablespoon of the olive oil and brush the salmon flesh (not the skin) with it.

Now preheat your oven to 450F as we’ll finish off the recipe in there.

Heat the remaining oil in an ovenproof saucepan (I used a cast-iron pan) on a medium heat and add the1 tablespoon of butter as the pan gets warm and then the salmon fillets (skin side down).

Try to spoon on some of the butter/oil combo over the salmon to help cook the top and to add some moisture to it.

About 4 minutes later, move the pan away from the heat source and add the run, then tip the pan towards the heat and allow the rum to catch on fire (Flambé). It will burn (flame) for 5 seconds and in doing so. burn off most of the alcohol, leaving that rich rum flavor.

After a minute, add the orange juice and top each salmon fillet with the brown sugar (evenly), bring back to a boil, then into the oven for 3 1/2 – 4 minutes on the middle rack.

As you take it out of the oven add the cold butter to the pan, along with the juice of 1/2 lemon and the parsley. Stir well to create a sort of lemon butter sauce (watch the video below) and top the salmon fillets with said sauce.

Gluten Free Seafood

Coconut Stewed Shrimp.

It’s very rare you’ll find someone from the Islands who don’t enjoy great seafood, it’s just natural I think. Fried, grilled, stewed, curry, oven-baked, fire-roasted and in stews like this one, we’ve got so many ways to enjoy the bounty of the Caribbean Sea. Yea we even do ceviche too! Here’s one of my favorite ways to stew plump shrimp in a wicked coconut sauce. (first try and it will be your fave too)

You’ll Need…

2 lbs 21-25 shrimp (cleaned & deveined)
1 teaspoon sea salt (divided)
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
1 large onion (diced)
6-8 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 medium tomato (diced)
4-5 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon paprika
2-3 pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers)
1/2 teaspoon Scotch Bonnet flakes (or fresh)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 lime (juice)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

  • lemon juice for washing the shrimp.

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. If you can’t source the pimento (seasoning) peppers, feel free to use diced sweet bell peppers.

Peel (however I left the tails on, but you can remove), devein and wash the shrimp with lemon juice and cool water. Drain dry and season with the 1/2 the salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir well and marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat a wide saucepan on a medium flame, then add the seasoned shrimp and stir. The pan was dry as we added olive oil when we marinated the shrimp. Cook for 1-2 minutes (so we don’t overcook them), remove and set aside. By cooking the shrimp first, we’ll get that lovely seafood base to start with.

Now crank the heat to med/high and go in with the rest of the olive oil. Should you want to get more of that coconut flavor, you’re free to use coconut oil here. Now toss in the onion, pimento peppers (watch the video below to see what they are), thyme, scallions and remaining salt. Turn the heat down to low so we don’t burn anything, add the remaining black pepper, garlic and scotch bonnet flakes (use any pepper flakes you have or like). Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan.

3 minutes later and your kitchen will be blessed with the lovely aroma of niceness. Now go in with the wine and deglaze the pan. Turn the heat back up to medium. As the wine burns off, add the tomato, brown sugar and smoked paprika. This (sugar) will balance the acidity and (paprika) give the dish a smoky undertone.

Go in with the coconut milk now, turn the heat to low and let it gently cook to combine all those flavors.

About 5-6 minutes later (simmer) you’ll have a creamy, velvety sort of texture to the sauce.. it’s now time to add back the shrimp to the pan, heat through, toss in the parsley and BOOM.. you’re done. However, as you turn off the stove, go in with the freshly squeezed lime (or lemon) juice.

Yea taste for salt and adjust according. AND.. have some scented steamed rice ready for an incredible meal.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

My Grandmother’s Fish Choka.

Following up on the Fry Dry Herrings recipe I shared yesterday, here’s my take on my grandma’s Fish Choka. Basically any fried, oven roasted or grilled fish, flaked and made into a sort of salad (best way I can describe it). Light, tasty and very simple to put together. While the recipe isn’t exact, the technique is very true to the traditional way of making Fish Choka in Trinidad and Tobago. A ‘poor mans’ dish, usually made from fish the fishermen would practically give away (back in the old days).

You’ll Need…

1 lb fried fish (any will work)
1 medium onion (sliced thin)
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tomato (diced)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lime (juice)
1 birds eye pepper (chopped finely)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 teaspoon pepper oil (optional)

Strip fish meat off the bones into flakes, ensuring you remove all the bones and discard. If using fried herring or sardines with a batter you have the option of keeping the crispy skin or not.

With the flaked fish in a large bowl, add the black pepper, salt, juice of lime, tomato, bird’s eye pepper (optional), scallion, parsley and pepper oil. Being a bit gentle, toss everything to mix evenly. As mentioned in the video below, my grandma would typically use a clove of crushed garlic in the mix, but my pepper oil got a lot of garlic in it.

Top with the thinly sliced onion. I used a red onion, but you’re free to use any onion you have on hand or like using.. the key is to slice it very thin.

Heat the olive oil until you start seeing smoke. You my use coconut. vegetable or any oil you like using.

Pour the heated oil directly over the onions. This will slightly cook then and in the process, add a lovely onion flavor to the dish and kill some of it’s pungency.

Stir well and ENJOY

While my dad enjoys this as a topping for salted crackers, I’m a fan of Dhal and Rice served with this Fish Choka. The odd times I make sandwiches with it and when I’m not lazy I make fresh Sada Roti.

Gluten Free Seafood

Oven Roasted Yellow Tail Snapper.

I’ll be honest, I grew up eating fish three ways. Fried, Stewed and in a lovely Curry Sauce (mommy’s repertoire). Never grilled, steamed, smoked (well except for the smoked herring we get in the Caribbean), oven roasted or broiled. However that quickly changed when I started traveling through the Caribbean and seeing how we do fish and seafood differently. Sadly, I wish I knew sooner (when I lived on the islands) as getting good fish here in Canada is very expensive. Understandable, but painful to see. I’m not a fan of fresh-water (lakes and rivers) fish.. only ocean fish please.

You’ll Need…

1 Snapper (about 2 lbs)
1 tablespoon salt (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
4-5 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
2 scallions (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
8-10 Brussels Sprout (optional)
8-10 cherry tomato
8-10 olives
4 sprigs thyme
1/2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (to finish)
*juice of a lime or lemon (to wash the fish)

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Wash the fish, then cut slits across the thickest part of the back/belly – to help cook faster and to allow for absorption of the marinade.

Salt (1/2 of it) the fish, especially in the cuts and belly of the fish. Then in a small bowl mix the Caribbean Green Seasoning and 2 tablespoon of Olive oil and paste it all over the fish, including the belly cavity.

Then in your roasting dish (oven proof) go in with the 1 tablespoon olive oil and place the fish on it. Add the Olives, Brussels Sprouts, Scallions, Garlic (smashed) and Thyme and pour any remaining marinade over everything. The Brussels Sprouts is optional as I found some in my fridge and tossed them in there… great addition yea.

Top with black pepper and the remaining salt. Drizzle on the remaining olive oil. This will help develop some color during roasting. You may need to go in with you hands and make sure everything is coated. Try to marinate for about 30 minutes.

Now into a 400 F oven uncovered on the middle rack. 25 minutes.. then 5 minutes on broil (525 F) But be mindful it can burn easily at this high temperature.

As it comes out of the oven, drizzle with the lemon juice and top with the chopped parsley. This will brighten the finished dish a bit. I didn’t add any Caribbean Sunshine (Scotch Bonnet) nor anything spicy, but you can certainly add your fave heat source if you wish.

Today moms got a ton of fish recipes in her arsenal, including a to-die-for baked salmon. Maybe I’ll convince her to share that recipe soon. If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Seafood

Simply Amazing Jerk Crab.

Stove-Top Jerk Crab!

Puritans will tell you that you need smoke and fire from pimento wood to get that real authentic Jamaican flavor when doing “jerk” and I’d be crazy to disagree. However, with this recipe in particular… I humbly think you achieve “jerk” greatness on the stove-top. Plus I live in Canada where there’s no pimento wood and our winters are very HARSH to be grilling outside all year!

The BASE of the Jerk flavors!

You’ll Need…

3 lbs Crab (cleaned)
4 cloves garlic (smashed or grated)
1 tablespoon ginger (diced fine or grated)
5 birds eye pepper
1 medium onion (diced)
3-4 scallions (chopped – divided)
2 sticks cinnamon
3/4 tablespoon ground allspice
2 scotch bonnet peppers (chopped)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/4 tablespoon brown sugar
10 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 lemon (juice)

Get your fish monger to clean the crab for you or clean then by removing the backs off the crab (discard) and clean the sort of gills.. then rinse with the juice or a lime or lemon (not mentioned in the ingredient list) and water. I’d also recommend cracking the bigger claws, to get extra flavor when cooked.

Cleaned and washed crabs.

I’d recommend prepping the other ingredients at this time so when you get started, it would make for easy work. The goal is to keep is simple and tasty.

Prepped ingredients for the jerk crab.

Heat the oil in a wide pan on medium heat, then add the onion, garlic and Bird’s Eye peppers (called bird pepper in the Southern Caribbean). Turn the heat down to as low as it will go as we don’t want to burn the garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the black pepper, diced ginger, scallions (1/2) and thyme and cook on low for a further 2-3 minutes. After which you’ll add the scotch Bonnet peppers. Remove the seeds if you’d like to tame down the heat level a bit. It’s also important that you wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers. May I also recommend turning the fan on over your stove or open your kitchen window to vent your kitchen.

Heat!

Give it all a good stir, then add the allspice, brown sugar, cinnamon, soy sauce and salt. Stir well, then add the orange juice and water .. heat still on low.

The brown sugar will give the jerk sauce a lovely rounded flavor and balance off some of the heat from the spicy peppers we used. BTW jerk is supposed to be spicy!

It’s now time to add the cleaned crabs to the pot and give it a really good stir. Turn the heat up to medium to bring it to a sort of boil/simmer. To assist, place a lip on the pot you’re using. As you see a simmer, turn the heat down to maintain that simmer and keep the lid on. We’ll try to steam-cook the crabs with all this lovely flavors.

Cook on that simmer for about 8 minutes (with the lid on) and be sure to stir it about 3-4 times during the cooking. Top with the other 1/2 of the scallions, cook for 2 more minutes.. then it’s time to ENJOY!

Probably not your typical way of making/enjoying crab, but I assure you, you’ll be blown away by the flavors of this classic pescatarian dish. Be warned that it may be a bit spicy, but you can definitely tailor the heat level to your liking.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Seafood

Ginger Chive Roasted Snapper Recipe.

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We’ve discussed how as a child on the islands, I (and my siblings) gave mom ‘hell’ when she tried to get us to eat fish. Now I’m thousands of kms away from the ocean (I only like ocean fish) and it’s now that I crave fish and seafood on my plate. Poor woman tried her best back then, but we were just stubborn kids I guess. I’ll give mommy a big hug and apologize when I visit her next week… hopefully she won’t mind making her famous Curry King Fish for me.

You’ll Need…

2 lane snapper  (about 2-3 lbs total)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 shallot (sliced thin)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (grated)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 chive tops
baby bell peppers
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lemon (juice)

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the Soy Sauce, which you will need to replace with a gluten free version like Tamari.

Have your fish monger clean, gut and trim the fish if you don’t know how to do so. Wash with cool water and some lemon juice and pat dry… set aside as we make the marinade.

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Combine the olive oil, salt, black pepper, ginger, shallot, garlic, soy sauce and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk well.

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With my fish clean, I cut two slices down the thickest parts of the belly (both sides) to help the marinade penetrate the flesh of the fish. Then in the same baking dish I would use to roast the fish off in the oven, I poured the marinade over the fish. Then using my hands I worked the marinade into the cavity of the fish as well as into the cuts I made. TIP! Line your baking dish with parchment paper for easy clean-up after. Marinate for 10 minutes. Nothing more or you risk having the lemon juice cook the fish.

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I found some baby bell peppers in the fridge so I went in with a few and to help perfume the dish as it roast in the oven, I tucked the chive stems/glowers between the fish. You may top the peppers etc with a tiny bit more salt and black pepper if you wish. (I did)

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Into a preheated 400F oven on the middle rack. It will take between 18-24 minutes to cook fully, depending on the size of the snapper you use. BTW just about any fish will work with this recipe.  There’s no need to cover the baking dish as you want to help develop a lovely golden color on the fish and peppers. Plus if you were to cover with foil, it may cause the dish to go soup-like and we don’t want that.

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Feel free to drizzle on some extra virgin olive oil as you take it out of the oven.. or maybe some fresh lemon juice? With Easter around the corner, I’m sure your family will appreciate this fish dish come Good Friday.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Seafood

Amazing Stove-top Mango Jerk Shrimp.

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Jerk Shrimp is definitely one of my favorite ways to cook/enjoy shrimp. And while the flavors you get from cooking jerk shrimp over  a glowing coals fire is the preferred method, this stove-top method is arguably just as tasty. The fact that it’s quick to put together and the fiery heat of the jerk spiced marinade is balanced with the fruitiness of the mango.. makes for a recipe you’ll find yourself making on a regular basis. I guarantee your friends will be begging you for this recipe.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 lbs medium shrimp (cleaned and deveined)
1 cup diced mango
1-2 scotch bonnet peppers (diced fine)
3 scallions (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (diced fine)
4 sprigs thyme (leaves)
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 lime (juice)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce you choose to use.

Peel, devein and wash your shrimp. I used medium sized shrimp and I kept the tail on. Season with the salt, black pepper, 1/2 of the olive oil, dark soy sauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and brown sugar. You can marinate for a and hour or as in my case.. I cooked immediately.

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Heat the remaining oil (I used a non stick pan) on a medium flame, then add the scallions, garlic, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to as low as it will go and gently cook for about 3 minutes. With the scotch bonnet pepper, use as much as you can handle, wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling then and you may want to turn the fan on over your stove.

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Turn the heat up to med/high now and add the seasoned shrimp, stir well. The goal is to NOT over cook the shrimp, so I’d recommend using a wide pan (this way there’s a lot of room to cook evenly). Add the diced mango and the grated ginger. Stir well.

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Cook for about 4-5 minutes, depending how large the shrimp are that you used.

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Taste for salt and adjust accordingly, then squeeze the lime juice in and top with the chopped parsley.

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Some quick tips.. marinate for bolder flavors, try to not over-cook and  use a 1/2 ripe mango (one that’s about 80% ripe – but still firm). If you wanted to add a couple tablespoon of orange and mango juice.. EXCELLENT! Do be mindful of the heat of the scotch bonnet pepper. Habanero or any of your fav pepper will work too.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Seafood Soups & Stews

Simple Coconut Stewed Fish.

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I’m a huge fan of fish and seafood in general, the same cannot be said for when I was a kid on the islands and had access to the good stuff, fresh from the ocean. Funny how life is yea! I try to eat fish as least once a month, so I’m always looking for creative ways to put it to use. Here’s a quick coconut stew putting some pieces of Haddock to use. Back to life and how funny it can get.. not only did I hate fish when I had access to it on the islands, I must now dig deep into my pockets to satisfy my fish cravings (such is life in Canada).

You’ll Need…

1 lb Haddock (boneless)
2 scallions – chopped
2 cloves garlic – diced or crushed
4 sprigs thyme
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper – diced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 lemon (juice / divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
2 pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers) – diced

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Cut you fish into 2-3 inch pieces and wash with the juice of 1/2 the lemon and cool water. Rinse and drain.

Heat the coconut oil (use any oil you may have or like using) in a deep pan over med/high heat. Then go in with the garlic, seasoning peppers (use bell peppers if you can’t source seasoning peppers) and the scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to as low as it can go and cook for a minute. Next add the thyme (little leaves), scallion and black pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

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Turn the heat up to med, then gently add the pieces of fish (feel free to use any fish you like) and stir to coat with the flavors we started off with. Then add the coconut milk, salt and juice of the remaining 1/2 of lemon. Bring to a simmer. (don’t allow it to boil rigorously) 

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If you’ve got some roucou (annatto) liquid, you may add about a tablespoon for added color and flavor (not mentioned in the ingredient list). Cook on a simmer for about 5-7 minutes (depending on how thick your fish is), taste for salt and adjust to your liking… then the dish is done!

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You may top it with some finely chopped parsley and serve with hot steamed rice (your choice), pasta, ground provisions or  dip in your fav crusty bread. A quick and tasty fish recipe packed with flavors of the Caribbean. A dish which is sure to please the pescatarians in your life! Be mindful that the scotch bonnet pepper can make this spicy and to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Recipe Card

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 25 mins

Description

A quick and flavorful coconut fish stew with Caribbean aromatics, ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video
  1. Rinse the fish with the juice of half a lemon and cool water. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a large pan, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, seasoning peppers, and scotch bonnet. Lower heat and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add thyme, scallions, and black pepper. Sauté for 2–3 minutes.
  4. Gently add the fish to the pan and stir to coat with aromatics.
  5. Pour in coconut milk, salt, and the remaining lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  6. Cook uncovered for 5–7 minutes or until fish is cooked through.
  7. (Optional) Add 1 tablespoon roucou for extra color.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot with your favorite side.
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Gluten Free Seafood

Caribbean Fish Stew Using Fresh Cod.

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I may have mentioned in previous ‘fish’ recipe posts that as a young fella on the islands (along with my siblings) we had NO luv for fish or any sort of seafood, except for shrimp and fried slices of King Fish. However as an adult I can’t get enough of everything coming out of the ocean. With many requests for fish recipes, especially with Easter and Good Friday just around the corner, I thought I’d share this one using cod with you.

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs Cod (cubed 1 inch pieces)
1 med onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1/2 orange bell pepper (cubed)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (cubed)
2 scallions (chopped 1 inch)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika (hot)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon achiote oil (or olive oil)
2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
1 stalk celery (sliced thin)
4 sprigs thyme (remove leaves off stems)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 med tomato (diced)
splash of water
1/2 lemon (juice)

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the tomato paste.. in the event there’s any thickening agent with gluten in it.

How To Make Achiote Oil (roucou | occo): Video Tutorial Here!

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Heat the oil in a wide pan (one with a lid) on a low heat, then go in with the onion and garlic. Make sure the heat is now on very low as we don’t want to burn the garlic. Allow this to cook gently for 3-4 minutes.

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Up-next we can add the diced bell peppers, sliced celery and scotch bonnet pepper (be mindful that you can control the heat level by how much scotch bonnet you add). Take the heat up to medium and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes.

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Now add the tomato paste and paprika and stir well. Go in with the black pepper, thyme, salt and tuck in the pieces of Cod fish. I used frozen Cod which was thawed and I squeezed out the extra liquid. Stir well, add the tomato and parsley, (heat at med/low) cover the pot and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. You will need a splash of water to help steam-cook the fish. Less than a 1/4 cup.

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Remove the lid. The Cod should be fully cooked by now so it’s time to taste for salt and adjust accordingly as your tolerance for salt will be different than mine. Turn the heat off, toss in the scallions and squeeze in the lemon juice.

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A delicious fish dish in under 10 minutes! I served this batch with some steamed rice, but you can treat it as you would any fish side dish. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling the scotch bonnet pepper. If heat is not your thing, you can leave out that spicy pepper.. do keep in mind that the spicy smoked Paprika will have a heat element. Yes, any ocean white fish will work for this dish.

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