Last week I mentioned that I would turn the focus onto fish. In the Bible, fish plays a prominent role – a couple of the apostles were fishermen and Jesus fed a hungry crowd of 5,000 through a miracle. For Catholics, fish is typically eaten on a Friday during Lent. On Good Friday, many Christians eat fish as their main meal. Little fried sprats are a common sight in many households during this season.

Fish is a fantastic protein that is beloved by many on the island. This comes as no surprise as our beautiful coast is dotted with fishing villages and fish hotspots such as Hellshire, St Catherine; Gloria’s in Port Royal, Little Ochie in Alligator Pond, Border at Whitehouse and more. Traditionally, we love our fish steamed, escoveitched, brown-stewed, roasted and stuffed and jerked; the creative will try other preparations. Jamaica is famous for its seafood delights.

Different varieties and cuts of fish, just like meat, call for varying cooking preparations. Some people are still daunted by buying fish, so today, I am going to share some important tips about purchasing, handling and storing these sea creatures. First of all, I want to familiarise you with the typical species found on our shores. Snapper, parrot, jack, grunt, doctor fish, goat, turbot, snook, butterfish are some of the more popular species you will find when you buy from fishermen.

In terms of frozen fish, outside of the more familiar types above, you will find mahi mahi (called dolphin in some parts, but don’t worry it is a dorado, not Flipper), kingfish, tilapia, and Banga Mary. Good quality frozen fish can be very convenient for those of us who are not blessed to live beside the sea. If you buy your frozen fish from a reputable source, the value can be just as good as fresh if you follow the directions carefully, as most often the product is frozen from peak freshness.

JuicyChef’s Fresh and Frozen Fish Tips:

Fresh fish is direct from the sea, and has never been frozen. Please keep cold in the fridge, properly stored and covered to prevent cross contamination with other foods and use within two days. If you aren’t going to use it straightaway, I suggest you freeze it immediately in well-sealed freezer-proof plastic bags.

Fresh fish should have bright clear eyes, deep red or pink gills, and firm skin with tightly packed scales.

Ironically, there should be no fishy scent, but instead a fresh salty sea smell. Neither should there be brown or any other discoloured flesh.

Frozen fish should come in clean, tightly sealed packages with no holes or obvious dryness or strange colouring, which would indicate the fish has been “freezer burned”. If you see any of these things, do not purchase it.

As soon as you go home, place your frozen fish in the freezer. If due to unfortunate circumstances it is a really hot day, or you get stuck in traffic and your fish package is completely defrosted, do not refreeze it but cook immediately.

Thaw frozen fish overnight in the fridge to keep cool and to retain quality.

Japanese Style Glazed Snapper Fillets with Noodles and Sautéed Pak Choy

I have named this dish Japanese style as I use a teriyaki glaze to marinate the fish. Here in Jamaica many of us have sampled teriyaki chicken or beef so this makes a light and equally delicious substitute. If you don’t have pak choy, broccoli or string beans will make a good green substitute. You can also substitute another white fish fillet for snapper.

Ingredients:

4 Snapper fillets

200ml Ready-Made Teriyaki sauce

Three-four stalks of escallion, finely chopped

1/2 inch piece of ginger, finely sliced

2 bundles of pak choy

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsps vegetable oil

1 Pack of egg noodles

Method:

Preheat oven to 375ûF

Marinate fish in teriyaki sauce for 15 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil, remove fish from marinade and sauté fish fillets for three minutes per side.

Place in a baking tray, pour over reserved teriyaki sauce and finish off baking in oven for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the egg noodles by boiling and draining according to package directions.

Next, sauté ginger in a frying pan with remaining vegetable oil until fragrant, add pak choy and continue sautéing for approximately two minutes.

In a large bowl, add the noodles, pak choy, sesame oil and chopped escallion and mix well.

Divide equally onto four plates and top each with a fillet and drizzle with sauce.

Warmest thanks to MegaMart Waterloo.

Please contact me at info@juicychef.com

Bon Appétit!