Trinidad Fish Stew

I haven't been on this blog for a long while and I am almost but not quite sorry. I always miss blogging when I have been away from it but at times it is important to show up in other places of my life where I am needed a bit more. One of those places has been my garden. Long time visitors to this site may remember this dream of mine. I am happy to report that my journey to producing some of my own food is becoming more real. Perhaps one day soon some of the dishes on this blog might even showcase produce that I actually grew myself. 

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and after today's Carnival celebration many Trinidadians will be headed to mass to receive ashes. In keeping with Lenten tradition, many homes will prepare a meal of fish.  

This stewed fish recipe is a favourite of mine and in many homes it is often served with cou cou. Trinidadians usually fry the fish first before adding it to a tomato based stew. When this done, it is called by the odd name of Stew Fry Fish to distinguish it from the version where the fish is not fried but added directly the sauce. My preference is to fry first.

Trini Stew Fry Fish
1lb fish (bangamarie)
* other fish like flying fish, king fish, carite, carvali, tilapia can be used

4 tablespoons green seasonings
1 tsp salt
juice of one lime
1  cup flour
oil for frying

Golden Ray cooking margerine or butter
4 goves garlic minced
2 large onions, sliced
3 medium tomatoes sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon West Indian pepper sauce (optional)
8-10 Trinidad pimento peppers seeded and finely sliced

Season fish with salt, lime juice,  and green seasoning. Leave in fridge to marinate for 30 minutes. Mostly I do this the night before so that when I get home from work the fish is ready to be cooked. If seasoning the fish overnight I will omit the lime until just ready to cook.

Heat enough oil for deep frying the fish in a large pot on medium high heat. Fry the fish and set aside on paper towels.

Once all the fish has been fried, melt the butter  in a large and fairly deep skillet with a tight fitting lid..

To the butter,  add the curry, garlic, onions, tomatoes, celery, and cook until nicely fragrant. Add the ketchup, mustard, sugar, water, bay leaf and stir to combine. Bring sauce to a simmer.

Add the fish and pimento peppers to the sauce, cover and simmer about 5 minutes just until the fish is warmed through. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Secrets to a Delicious Trinidadian Fish Broth

Today is a feel good day and all you need is fish broth,

or maybe it's not such a great day.

I'm sorry.

Well now you definitely need fish with a squeeze of lime, layered over rough- chopped, root vegetables and green bananas, some salt, green seasoning and a hot pepper. This will cure what ails you.

Promise.

In Trinidad, fish soup is called 'broff' (broth) but there is little about it that is broth-like. In the Caribbean our soups serve as main meals and are heavy, flavoursome and 'chunked' full of high-fibre, starchy root vegetables. 

Fish broth calls for un-fancy fish. When I was a child we would vacation at beach houses in Mayaro and one of my favourite things to do was to wake just before the sun, run down the beach and help fishermen 'pull seine' ( pull in their nets ). At the end of the haul you were sure to be rewarded with the small fish that weren't suitable for sale but which were perfect for making fry dry or broth. 

Pay attention.

This is important.

These are the secrets.

Rule number one:

You can not make fish broth without fish heads. Well you can but my father will tell you that you are making dishwater, not broth. 

Fish heads with their hugely, surprised eyes staring back at you from your bowl of soup are creepy. Believe me I share your pain but get over it because tucked inside those heads are bits of fat, cartilage and connective tissues. All of this will render out into your soup making it richer and sweeter. 

Rule number two: 

Understand that this is essentially just a frugal meal of water, cheap fish and vegetables so that you have to give this the love it deserves in the form of fresh herbs.

This is not a suggestion.

Here is where you will find use for that green seasoning marinade that I told you about two months ago. 

My grandmother used to serve this to me in a chipped enamel bowl. I have yet to taste anything better coming out of a restaurant on a fancy plate, as this humble broth. It's just that good really if you follow two simple rules. 

Trinidadian Fish Broth

For the Marinade
2lbs Fish cleaned ( at least 2 or 3 heads)
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic  (minced)
3 tablespoons green seasoning
1 tsp salt

Broth
6 green figs/bananas (cooked, peeled and sliced)
2 tablespoons Golden Ray margarine ( or vegetable oil, or butter)

 2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 medium onion ( minced)
1 tablespoon green seasoning
8 cups water

Root Vegetables / Ground Provisions
3 small potatoes peeled and diced
3 small eddoes (taro) peeled and diced
1 medium dasheen (taro) peeled and diced
3 small tannia ( yautia)
* Amounts don't have to be exact if you don't have one type just use a little more of the others that you do have on hand

1/2 stalk celery ( chopped)
1 medium tomato sliced
1 tsp salt
pepper sauce to taste (optional)

Mix 2 tsp lime juice in 1/4 cup of water. Put fish in a glass mixing bowl and wash   in this mixture of lime water. Throw away the excess water. Rub the minced garlic, green seasoning, and salt all over the fish. Cover fish and set aside in fridge for 30 mins - 1hr or overnight.

Next prepare the Green figs. Green fig is the Trinidadian name for green cooking bananas. Cut off the top and bottom ends of the green figs/bananas. Place into a large pot of water with about a tablespoon of oil.  The uncooked peel of the green figs/bananas secretes a sticky juice that might stain your pot. The oil prevents the skin of the green figs/bananas from staining the pot and makes for an easier clean up. Pierce the figs/bananas with a fork to see if they have cooked through. When they are done remove and let cool. They will peel easily now that they are cooked. Peel, slice and set aside.

In a large stock pot, saute the onion and garlic in butter or oil or Golden Ray margarine until translucent and fragrant. Add green seasoning. Saute about 30 seconds then add all the water.

Add all the root vegetables, celery, tomato, salt, vegetables and scotch bonnet pepper and simmer until the vegetables are fork tender. Roughly 15 - 20 mins depending on size of your root vegetables.

Keep an eye on the pepper throughout the cooking and make sure it does not burst. The heat from the pepper will be unbearable if it does.

Add the green figs/ bananas and the fish. Reduce heat and simmer fish 5-7 mins.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Adding more salt, lime and or pepper to your taste.

Jamaican Red Snapper Stew - Photo Update

Fish becomes the star ingredient in many Trinidadian homes during the season of Lent. Tomorrow being Good Friday we will be having Fish Broth. While planning for that I was reminded of the meal in the picture below. I was never satisfied with my initial images of this dish so I retook the photo. As you can see from the date I forgot all about posting it. Better late than never, I guess. The recipe can be found here. 

Lazy days and Corned Fish

Many West Indians can lay claim to a feeling of belonging to another Caribbean island by virtue of parents who would have immigrated. In my case my father came to Trinidad from Canouan. Going back to this place that I call my second home over the holidays was amazing.  In many ways this island and the people there helped shaped the person I am today.

View from the back of the house

Growing up, I spent my July/August holidays in Canouan. Every year I was filled with  the excited anticipation of meeting my cousins. No toys necessary. Just a bunch of us cousins having the run of an entire 3 1/2  x  1  1/4 mile wide island. We were like modern day Crusoes, gone from morning until night, reappearing only at mealtimes to be fed.

View from the front of the house

Once refueled we were off again to continue our explorations unfettered by grown ups. It was not uncommon for us to 'steal' out grandfather's boat and row out to distant beaches. It was on one of these jaunts that my cousin P and I took the boat and left the main group on Whaling Bay. Some ways from the shore we discovered that the moray eel caught earlier that morning was still very much alive and thrashing about at our feet in the water pooled at the bottom of the boat. Suffice to say, we hastily abandoned 'ship' and swam to shore to the annoyance of the boy cousins who unkindly pointed out that we had just set adrift our only means of getting home!

And that was one of our tamer adventures. Indeed when I think back on the times we had, I am amazed that we are all survived childhood.  Even some thirty something years later there is still the same excited anticipation of hanging with my cousins who now have children of their own. Seeing our children playing together, continuing childhood traditions is  awesome. It is beyond moving to share experiences of my childhood in the spaces that they occurred with my own children.

Google Canuoan and most links will tell about the fairly recent, super exclusive, private,  development that occupies a good portion of the northern part of the island. There is of course another face to this island. Here the beaches aren't swept free of seaweed, buildings aren't glamoured to look like the cookie cutter visions of  tourism. Village life is simple, reflecting the resourcefulness of a people used to getting by with little.

Beach bar, Mayreau

Canuoan's development was slower than it's larger Caribbean neighbours. In the 70's  there were only about 500 people living on the island with no pipe born water or electricity. Back then, my grandmother was still baking bread on an outdoor earth oven. Electricity only came to the came to the island in the 80's.  There were no shops or supermarkets so households had to be self sufficient. Basically you caught or grew what food was placed on the table. Everyone kept a kitchen garden and reared animals.  My grandparents kept chickens, goats, sheep, a pig and a donkey.

I will admit that initially it was upsetting for a child used to purchasing meat from supermakets to see animals being butchered for the table. Today, I am happy to say that my experiences have afforded me a  practical and not too romanticized view of food.  In those days if you wanted to eat you either grew it or caught and then butchered it. Too bad if you were squeamish about anything you just did not eat until the next meal. This sort of 'old fashioned lifestyle' was unimaginable to many of my friends but  I was delighted to be part of these seemingly magical rituals that were once an essential part of daily life.  One such ritual that continues today is that of corned fish.

Corned Fish

Of course today you can pick up salted cod in the supermarket but back when there were no refrigerators or even imported Alaskan cod, you salted and preserved your own fish by adding loads of salt and drying it in the sun. This process is called corning for reasons mentioned in my previous post on corned beef. Corned fish will keep for months and it is not unusual to see salted  fish on roof tops or strung out on fences to be preserved.. In Union Island I noticed that my Aunt used sea salt that she had harvested herself from the salt pond. Mostly I was surprised that the Grenadine islands have not yet seen the potential for marketing their salt to the world. Many of the islands have naturally occurring salt ponds, yet the sea salt I buy comes from France - go figure. Upon my return I noticed a 2 ounce container of sea salt for  $15.00 US at a local gourmet shop. Hello! Aunty Alice send salt, stat!.

Fisherman cleaning conch for dinner

The culinary highlight of any trip to the Grenadines is always freshly caught sea food. My memories are of my grandfather fishing and setting his lobster trap. Fresh fish, conch, turtle's eggs, eel, kelp and just about anything from the sea were regular items on the table.

Glossy Beach, Canouan

Canuoan does not cater to mass tourism so that means it isn't too hard to find yourself a deserted stretch of beach to call your own for the day. Seriously no one here but us and the pelicans

My husband had a hard time trying to decide which was the best beach. Glossy Beach reigned supreme in his estimation at least until the following day when we took him to another beach where he exclaimed anew, "Now this is the best beach on the island." Hmmm, let's just say that I heard that phrase a lot from him. 

Soon enough it was time to leave Canouan and hop across to the neighboring Union Island to spend a short visit with my Aunt.

You'd think by now we'd be sick of fabulous beaches. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sunshine, cool breezes and a kaleidoscope of ever changing aquamarine and turquoise water- nope that never gets old!

Big Sand Beach, Union Island

From Union we made arrangements for a sailing tour to the Tobago Keys.  First stop was the private island resort on Palm Island.

Palm Island

Our next stop was at Salt Whistle Bay on the island of Mayreau. 

Salt Whistle Bay, Mayreau

Tired of one beach, well then, walk about ten steps across a narrow strip of land and you'll find yourself on another.

Once in the Tobago Keys, it was a full day of snorkeling on the reefs. Anchored close by was the boat Scaramouche, better known as the Black Pearl in the movie Pirates of The Caribbean.

In the distance is Petit Tabac, the island where Jack Sparrow was stranded with loads of rum.

Petit Tabac, Tobago Keys

As much as I might have wished to remain stranded in the Grenadines it seemed that all too soon the time was upon us to return home. In fact the rainy and very gloomy weather that day matched my mood and reflected my feelings about having to say goodbye.  Huge hugs to my Canouan, Union Island and Carriacou family who made sure we were properly spoiled. Never fear we'll be back!

A gloomy goodbye

Sunny With a Chance of Delicious

Close your eyes and think of the Caribbean. What do you see? I’m betting you conjured up clichéd images of perpetual summer, white-sand, beaches and cocktails with little pink umbrellas. It’s a pleasant thought, but I’m here to tell you the islands offer so much more.

Take for example our food. West Indian food is really, REALLY great. I mean, I know it hasn’t achieved the celebratory status of some other world cuisines and even has a bum rap of being very heavy on the carbs but I’ll talk about that in another post.

This past week I found myself sitting in one of the many American franchise restaurants that have sprouted up all over this island, The menu was uninspiring and consisted of little more than glorified over priced burgers and a few pasta offerings. Cheese was the star flavouring agent. It was over everything – even the shredded lettuce that masqueraded as a salad. I shudder to think that many people who visit our islands might go away with the impression that this type of food is the daily fare of the local population.

Once upon a time it may have been true that people travelling to a foreign destination were reluctant to try unfamiliar food. In an effort to make guests feel at home, restaurants offered a typically European or American menu. Luckily that is changing and more places are giving local cuisine the prominence it deserves.

I dare say based on the number of food blogs out there, these establishments are headed in the right direction. Travellers today are now looking for culinary adventure along with their vacation package and are a lot more daring. Okay so maybe not everyone is up for a fishy-smelling but chicken-tasting plate of curried iguana à la Andrew Zimmerman of Bizarre foods but I’m guessing that most would love the adventure of sampling local flavous.

So here is my challenge to you. On your next vacation to the Caribbean or elsewhere, take a holiday from the food that is familiar. Explore where and what the locals eat. Then along with pictures of your pretty sunburn you’ll take home the aromas of sunny days, tastes of briny seafood, the almost electric heat of local peppers and the delicate intrigue of fresh herbs.

Not travelling to the Caribbean this summer; that's no problem man. So long as you marinate your fish the night before I can get you there in 10 minutes with this adaptation of a Jamaican steamed fish recipe.

Jamidadian Stew Fish

Traditionally red fish (red snapper). This can also be made using King fish (King Mackerel) , Carite or Cavali. This dish is a fusion of Jamaican and Trinidadian elements and the name is a tribute to my second mom who is Jamaican but has made Trinidad her home. Jamidadian is how she describes herself.

Ingredients

Serves 6

2 1/2  lbs King Fish (King Mackerel or red snapper)
1 tsp salt

3 tbsp Green seasoning  (I don’t mince on my seasoning I like anything from 3 to 5 tablespoons of the stuff.)

1 tsp Angostura Orange bitters

3 tbsp. Golden Ray margarine (or butter)

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings

4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 large christophenes (chayote), peeled, seeded, and diced
1cup diced West Indian Pumpkin (calabaza squash) peeled and diced

1 cup carrots (diced)

10–12 allspice berries

1⁄4 tsp. minced scotch bonnet peppers (optional)

* absolutely no swapping with jalapenos please. The flavour is vastly different. You can substitute with a ½ to a full teaspoon of any Caribbean pepper sauce. We’re cooking Caribbean today not Mexican:-)

1⁄2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and crushed (this is called fever grass in Trinidad)
water

Method

Season fish with salt, 2 tbs green seasoning and 1 tsp orange Angostura bitters. Leave in the fridge to marinate overnight.

The next day chop all vegetables. Melt 3 tbsp. Golden Ray margarine (or butter) in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat and lightly sauté, garlic, onions and 1 tbsp green seasoning. Add the chopped veggies and all spice berries. I used christophene (chayote), pumpkin, carrots, ginger, pepper and lemon grass. You have free reign on the vegetables for this as any combo of veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, beans what ever is in season,) can be added. Add just enough water to barely cover the vegetables. Cook for 5 mins.

Place fish on top of veggies. Cover pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, until fish is cooked through, about 5 – 7 minutes depending on thickness of fish slices. Adjust seasoning. Discard lemon grass before serving. Serve over rice.

Close your eyes and inhale. The warm scent of allspice and the subtle zing of citrus should transport you.  Now taste. What do you think? Are you on the beach yet?

Fish without Chips. Caribbean Fry-Dry Sprats

Hi, my name is Wizzy and …uhmm…I uhmmm… I ahhh….I’m addicted to fry dry! Said in a rush and with a sigh of relief. There I said it!

What?!!! It’s no longer fashionable to have this once traditional Caribbean breakfast. Who says? Obviously I didn’t get the memo. When was the last time you actually tasted a mess of these crispy, fried, sprats, hot off the frying pan with a squeeze of lime, or some tarter sauce? Come on now, don’t be coy. Don't play like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

They are ugly you say. Sure, after frying these, they look somewhat prehistoric, like they jumped out of the Cretaceous period and landed on your plate. I don’t actually look at them as I eat them. That would be ….well…bizarre. They kinda creep me out. But go on, admit it – you like them too don’t you? It’s okay, we are all friends here. You can say it. FRY DRY KICKS CEREAL’S BUTT FOR BREAKFAST ANY DAY. I can sense your disbelief. Heck, forget breakfast, around here we fry these up any old time of the day as a snack.

Let me show you. Here. It’s like eating fish and chips (fries) but without the fries. The fish are themselves the fries. The bones are left in which adds to the crack, crackle, crunch factor. Cripsy fish fries, best served hot - dipping sauce entirely optional. Wouldn’t this be fabulous with a splash of malt vinegar and a sprinkle of sea salt? Perhaps I could tempt you with a ketchup-soy-pepper sauce combo?

Oh go on – you don’t like them anyway so what if I break the rules. While I’m at it, I might as well offer full disclosure. The traditional way is to dredge them in flour but I prefer them naked. Sacrilege. Maybe. I find they stay crunchier that way.

I hear you. This is a little too outlandish looking to be palatable. Look, I made an effort to plate it up all pretty and gourmet-like just to tempt you. On second thought it might be better that you don’t know what you are missing, so I won’t have to share. Forget I said anything. You are entirely correct in your first assumption. These are ugly so they must taste horrid. I will happily eat them for you.

Fry Dry Recipe

2 lbs sprats (innards removed)
1/2 lime to wash the fish
1/4 teaspoon salt

2-3 leaves of shadon beni or cilantro
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
3 chive stalks finely chopped
3 sprigs of thyme

1/2 cup vegetable oil  

Put fish in a bowl and wash by squeezing the juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon and rinse with water. Drain and pat dry with paper towel and set aside. 

Add choppped seasonings ( shadon beni, garlic, thymes, chives and salt) to fish. Set aside to marinate for 2 hours. You can prep your fish the night before and leave it to marinate overnight.

Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Fry fish in batches. Try not to crowd the pan with too many. Allow to cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side and then flip to cook evenly. Drain on paper towels. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce as an appetizer or for lunch with rice and dhal.

...another sort of sprat...