Fish Broth (as requested by my Brother)

For the morning after the night before, there is no better cure than the hair of the dog that bit you....or so you think!
Trinis are party people and we do it well.
After such a night, Trinis like to spend the day in bed or loafing about in front the TV(and various promises are made to God and ones-self about never doing that again) and there is nothing better to feed the hangover than a large bowl of re-vitalising fish broth.
This simple dish is not only easy to make but also extremely nutritious and equally yum-licious!
Traditionally, fish broth is made with the less desirable bits of the fish like the head and back bones leftover from a filet, as well as ground provisions like dasheen and cassava and even green bananas (green fig), macaroni, and rice!
This recipe is a culmination of various methods that I have seen and eaten over the years.
My Sister-in-law Rachel, is not a big fan of "fishy" food and many kids dont like the taste and texture either so I developed this method to "cut" the fishiness and yet maintain the the value of the dish.
I enjoy fishbroth with quite a bit of hot pepper but we will compromise by making a little fire water on the side.

For this soup, you will need:

1 medium (3 lbs) cleaned and sliced Carite/Kingfish or Salmon (or whatever fish you like as long as it is as fresh as you can get it. Using fresh de-boned filets (skin on) are also quite acceptable and will be well received by those who are picky about heads and bones! Season with salt, black pepper, minced garlic, minced green seasoning, lime juice (1 lime) pimentos and mustard.
1 large Onion Chopped
1 head of garlic minced
15 small ochroes (okra) trimmed
3 large carrots peeled and chopped into chunky pieces
2 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
1 firm plantain peeled and chopped chunky
2 lbs of pumpkin peeled and chopped into medium pieces
1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped chunky
12 green figs
1 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons stripped fine leafed thyme
2 medium cassavas (yucca) peeled chopped and frozen if possible.
1 medium dasheen root (Tarot) peeled and chopped large
5 or 6 limes
3 pimento peppers
3 tablespoons minced green seasoning
3 or 4 tablespoons of prepared mustard (American style)
1 packet of seafood or vegetable stock, maggi soups work too! (or make your own by boiling the fish head and back bones and/or shrimp shells and heads adding salt and pepper to taste then strain)
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
1 Hot pepper (Of course!)

Okay, so once the starchy veggies and carrots have been peeled and chopped, put them up to boil in a large deep stock pot, about half filled with water and about a tablespoon of salt.
The green figs should be boiled until their skins turn dull green and soften enough to peel easily in a separate pan with a tablespoon of oil to make the pan easier to clean because they get really sticky, this should take about 20 minutes.
When the potaoes just begin to soften, add the whole pepper, ochroes, plantain and pumpkin and continue cooking, add most of the minced garlic and chopped onion as well as the stock (Maggie Vegetable soup works great) don't let the pepper burst in the soup or there will be tears.
When the pumpkin becomes to soft and breaks up easily, gently add the fish, the fresh seasonings ie, the chives, thyme, celery, the rest of the onion and garlic and then the butter (Gloden Ray Margarine is traditionally used)
Turn off the fire. The fish will cook quickly in the hot broth.
Using a ladel, lift from the bottom of the pot rather than stirring (to avoid breaking up the fish)and taste, adding salt as required.
Remove the pepper and place it into a small bowl, adding the juice of 1 lime and some finely chopped onion and other herbs as well as one ladel-ful of just the broth from the pot
Crush the pepper into the mix and Ta-daa: Firewater!
Finally add the juice of three or four limes to the soup and serve piping hot!
Add the firewater drip by drip to your own serving, this stuff is HOTTTT!
Toasted hops bread is my favourite accompaniment to this soup, followed by a large hammock to share!
Enjoy!

Smoked Mackerel Salad or as we Trini call it: "Buljol" PHOTOS COMING SOON!!

Having Moved to the UK a few months ago, I began to crave many of the dishes from "down home"

Walking through the supermarket, I came across these beautiful smoked mackerel filets and knew right away what I was going to use them for........Buljol!

Buljol comes from the patois "Bruler Gueule" or translated as Burned Mouth, which means, as you may have already guessed that this is intended to be a peppery dish, but not necessarily so.

As with many traditional West Indian dishes, pepper is a key ingredient and can be used in any quantity as the "end user" sees fit!

I make mine fairly hot, but not unbearably so, as this dish is well liked by my kiddos as well (who are incidentally getting accustomed to, and appreciating the flavor of raw pepper)



This is a quick and easy and extremely healthy dish (due to high Omegas from the fish oil) which can be served as a snack which goes well with bread, roti or crackers or as a compliment to your scrambled eggs at breakfast time!




You will need:

5-6 smoked Mackerel filets

One medium onion rough chopped

Three plump medium tomatoes rough chopped

One yellow sweet pepper rough chopped

One small cucumber de seeded and chopped

2 Tbsp Olive oil

Juice of One lime or lemon

Fresh milled Black pepper

I Tbsp chopped Chives

Coriander leaves rough chopped

One Red Hot Habanero Pepper de seeded and quartered



Method:

Steep the mackerel filets in boiling hot water for five minutes to help soften them up, then drain and crush them with a fork.

Sprinkle fresh ground black pepper, add chopped onion and tomatoes, sweet peppers and cukes, chives and cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil and the hot pepper.

Mix and tumble with a fork.

Serve on Crackers or refrigerate in a re-sealable plastic container for later.

Keeps for at least two days but it neve sticks around our house that long!

I use my homemade chile oil instead of the plain E.V.O.O. to really crank up the heat (that way the kids eat less, so more for me!)

Bon Appetit!