Simple, But Tasty Coconut Stewed Fish

By Chris De La Rosa
Culinary Columnist

I’m a huge fan of fish and seafood in general, the same cannot be said for when I was a kid in the islands and had access to the good stuff, fresh from the ocean. Funny how life is, yea!

I try to eat fish at 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 in 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 the fish into 2- to 3-inch pieces and wash with the juice of half 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.

Turn the heat up to medium, 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 half of lemon. Bring to a simmer (don’t allow it to boil rigorously).

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!

You may top it with some finely chopped parsley and serve with hot, steamed rice (your choice), pasta, ground provisions or dip in with your favourite crusty bread. A quick and tasty fish recipe, packed with flavors of the Caribbean, which is sure to please the pescatarians in your life.

Be mindful that the scotch bonnet peppers can make this dish real spicy, so please wash your hands with soap and water, immediately after handling them.

This recipe is courtesy of Gourmand Award winning cookbook author and founder of CaribbeanPot.com, Chris De La Rosa. With over 450 printable recipes with step by step cooking instructions and demo videos, PLUS over 1 million social/fan connections globally every month, CaribbeanPot.com is the world’s #1 resource of Caribbean Culinary Culture. Connect with Chis on Instagram: www.instagram.com/caribbeanpot/.