Yummm! Bajan Fried Fish

That's right folks, we're going to Barbados!!! I will try very hard to minimize my Bajan pride in this post, but if I start to bubble or gush, please know I cannot help it! LOL



Coo-coo and flying fish is the national dish of Barbados. Breaded and fried flying fish is a popular snack or meal, considered very popular based on the unique and delicious Seasoning.

Bajan Fried Fish

Recipe Courtesy of Totally Barbados

Ingredients:

Fish fillets to serve 4
2 limes (use one if they are large and juicy)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons Bajan seasoning (See Below)
1 egg
1 cup 5oz/155g extra fine breadcrumbs
1 cup 5oz/155g flour
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fish multi purpose seasoning (optional)
Oil for frying (Canola or Olive are reputedly healthier)

Squeeze the limes into a bowl with ¾ cup of water, add the salt and place the fish to soak for about ½ hour. Remove the fish, rinse and pat dry.

Whisk the egg in a medium bowl with some salt and white pepper and if you are doing fish, the seasoning. Put the fish into the egg and seasoning mixture. It is best if the fish is allowed to sit in the egg for an hour or so to allow the flavours to permeate.

Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, white pepper, paprika and a little salt. This is one of those occasions when you can add various seasonings out of your kitchen cupboard like fish magic, onion and garlic powder, dried herbs or whatever takes your fancy.

Heat very shallow oil for fish, in a large frying pan over a medium/high heat. Shake off excess egg, coat in the breadcrumb mixture, shake again and place in the oil when it is hot enough (It should sizzle slightly when the item is placed in it). Fry the fish over the medium/high heat for a couple of minutes on each side. Fish needs very little cooking and is overcooked very easily. If frying flying fish place it skin side up first.

Drain on absorbent paper and place on a warm dish.

Bajan Seasoning
(This will keep in the fridge for up to six months)

Ingredients:

1½ cups vinegar
2 oz thyme
2 oz parsley
1 lb onions
5 oz green onions
2 oz marjoram
4 Scotch Bonnet peppers or habanero (add more to make it hotter)
4 oz garlic
½ oz ground clove
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp black pepper
4½ tbs salt

Directions:

Remove the stems from the thyme and marjoram and place in a blender with vinegar. Liquefy.
Place the onions, green onions, parsley, peppers and garlic in a food processor and process for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Blend this together with the seasoned vinegar in a mixing bowl.
Stir in the salt, Worcestershire sauce, ground clove and black pepper. Bottle and refrigerate.
Leave it to stand for one week, before using as required.

Yummm! Bajan Oxtail & Coo-Coo

Cornmeal Coo-Coo

4 pints of water
12 fresh okra pods
4 tablespoons of butter
1 pound of yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon of salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 Rinse the okra in cold water, cut off the stems
and slice in round shapes. Combine the okra and
the water in a large saucepan and bring it to a
full boil, stir in the butter with the salt and
pepper.

2 Remove okra from the heat, stir in cornmeal
until all the lumps is dissolved and the mixture
is nice and smooth.


3 Return back to the heat, using a wooden spoon
stir till mixture is well blended, slightly stiff
and comes away from the sides of the pan.
Use a spoon to fill in the lightly buttered bowl,
let it sit for at least 30 minutes until it sets.

4 Cover the top of the bowl with a platter, invert
to transfer Coo Coo to the serving platter.

Stewed Oxtail

Ingredients
MARINADE
2 lbs oxtails, jointed
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Trinidadian green seasoning
1 1/2 onions, very thinly sliced
1 green pepper, very thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soya sauce

STEW
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons browning sauce (optional)
2-3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
4 stalks fresh marjoram
8 stalks fresh thyme
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced

Directions

1 Marinade: put the clean oxtail in a large bowl and add all the ingredients to the meat so it is completely coated. Cover bowl, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2 Stew: Heat vegetable oil and brown sugar on medium in a large pot until the mixture turns a light brown. Add the oxtail and brown them for a few minutes per side. Add browning sauce and stir.

3 Add water so that meat is almost covered. Turn heat up and add bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper (make sure this doesn't break!), cloves and herbs. Cover pot and bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 hours, or until meat is extremely tender. Stir every 30 minutes and add hot water whenever necessary: meat should always be mostly covered.

4 Remove scotch bonnet pepper carefully after about 1 1/2 hours of cooking. After 3 hours, or when the meat is done, add beef bouillon, ketchup, potatoes and carrots. Cook for another 30 minutes.

5 Taste and see if you need to add anymore spices or salt. It should be perfect at this point. If the sauce needs thickening just add a teaspoon of cornstarch or flour. Serve with rice and peas coo-coo and a side of coleslaw. Enjoy!