CARIBBEAN STEAMED FISH

I’ve been making more of an effort to make healthy choices at meal time.   While I do indulge in a guilty meal a few times a week, I plan healthier meals most days.  While I love eating meals that are better for me I hate feeling like I’m eating diet food.  Food is extremely important to me and I’m always thinking about my next meal, so it needs to be enjoyable.  I’ve discovered that herbs and spices go along way and it takes a meal from bland to something amazing!   This Caribbean steamed fish is an example of food that’s good for you that is big on flavor.  With just a few simple ingredients, fresh fish is transformed into something amazing.   I used Porgy for this dish; it tastes a lot like snapper but is less expensive.   I would also recommend buying the smaller porgy because I find it to be tastier.   I had the butcher cut the fish into 3 pieces but you can steam it whole if you like.   

STEAMED FISH

2 lbs fish (porgy or snapper), cleaned and scaled

Juice of 1 lime

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

3 cloves garlic – 2 sliced and 1 crushed

About 15 sprigs thyme

½ tbsp butter

½ tbsp oil

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

12 okra, ends cut off

1 hot pepper (scotch bonnet, habanero or wiri wiri), seeds removed

1 ½ cup water

Season the fish with lime juice, crushed garlic, black pepper, salt and half of the thyme and set aside.

In a large, wide heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add oil and butter.  When butter has melted, sauté carrots, red and green pepper, and onion until it has softened, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic slices and pepper and cook for just a minute or two.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Add fish to the pot.  Spoon some of the vegetables on top of the fish.  Add okra and the rest of the thyme.

Cover the pot and lower the heat to simmer then cook for 15 minutes until the fish is done.  Remove from heat and serve!