Something a Touch More Exotic

Learn how to do Something a Touch More Exotic for your friends and family. this revenue from Something a Touch More Exotic it is delicious

Make Something a Touch More Exotic

I don't know about you, but I rarely grill a whole fish wrapped in banana leaves so for me this delicious recipe is exotic......You certainly can use aluminum foil instead of the banana leaves, but as we talk about often here, presentation is so important no matter how simple or complicated it can be.  If Sea Bass (saltwater) isn't available, any firm, flaky white fleshed fish would work well, fresh or saltwater.

Barbecued Sea Bass Escabeche

Escabeche refers to the method of using an acid, like citrus in this case to marinate.

Serves 4

Total time:  45 minutes plus 2 hours marinating time

Ingredients

Barbecued Sea Bass

4 whole sea bass, cleaned and gutted*

1/2 cup oz of fresh orange juice

salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 banana leaves, for cooking (optional)

Tomato Sauce

1 lb of tomatoes, skinned and seeded

1/4 cup of onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup oz of red pepper, chopped

1/2 tbsp oz of fresh coriander, chopped, plus extra to garnish

2 tbsp fl oz of lime juice

1/2 tbsp oz of sugar

1 dash of olive oil 

Preparation

Sea Bass

To begin, place the sea bass in a shallow dish with the orange juice. Season with salt and pepper, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

After marinating, remove from the fridge and drain the juice into a cup or jug, reserving for use in the sauce.

Tomato Sauce

Add a dash of vegetable oil to a pan and place over a medium heat. Sweat down the chopped onions and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes without allowing them to color, stirring regularly so that they become soft and translucent.

Add the chopped tomatoes and pepper to the onions and garlic, along with the coriander, lime juice and sugar. Stir together, then pour in the reserved orange juice from the marinade.

Bring the sauce to a boil then remove from the heat and allow to cool while preheating the grill.

Place each sea bass in the center of a banana leaf (or a large piece of foil) and slash a few times on each side with a sharp knife to help the flavors penetrate while cooking. Spoon over the sauce, dividing equally between the 4 packages.

Wrap the banana leaves around each fish to seal completely. Place on the barbecue grill and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them  over a few times during cooking to ensure the fish cooks through evenly. Fish should be cooked at 400°F to 450°F. If using a gas grill, start it on high and then bring down to the prescribed cooking temperature.  This will help create a more even cooking temperature so that the fish cooks evenly making sure that it is moist from head to tail.

The fish is done when it flakes easily and is opaque (white).  If you see any of the fish is translucent, leave it on just for a little longer. 

Plating/Presentation

Serve straight from the banana leaf, garnished with a few extra sprigs of coriander

* 1 fish per person, select an appropriate size, or 1 large fish that will feed 4.

Share this recipe from Something a Touch More Exotic with your friends and groups