Bahamian Fish Stew
Bahamian Fish Stew is a very simple Bahamian breakfast dish prepared with pan fried fish cooked in a toasted roux sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 kg white flesh fish (I used snapper), whole or slice, your personal preference
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups water
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1 spring fresh thyme
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 birds’ eye or Serrano chillies, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp salt
- 4 pcs whole allspice
- 2 large oranges, choose the sour variety
- 3 pcs limes
- 1 birds’ eye or Serrano chillies, finely chopped
Directions
- 1
Rub your fish with the dry rub ingredients, inside and out. Set it aside for 10 minutes in a bowl.
- 2
Prepare your marinade by combining all marinade ingredients. Pour marinade into the dry rubbed fish, making sure the liquid is evenly distributed. Let it marinate for 10 minutes.
- 3
In a large pan, heat the oil in medium heat. Sauté onions, celery and thyme for 2 minutes, using a slotted spoon remove vegetables then set it aside.
- 4
Bring heat to medium high, pat dry the fish, reserve any marinade, then gently lower the fish into the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, you don’t need to fully cook the fish, we just need to brown the outer layer.
- 5
Remove the fish from the pan, lower heat then add the flour. Cook flour in oil while constantly stirring until it becomes brown in colour.
- 6
Slowly add water 1/4 cup at a time while continuously mixing, cook until it start to thicken and even in consistency. Once it starts to thicken, add the tomato paste, mix well to combine.
- 7
Add back the reserved vegetables together with the fish into the pan, bring it to a boil then put heat to low, simmer for 15 minutes.
- 8
Pour a tablespoon of the reserved marinade, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then serve.