Recipe video above. Jerk seasoning adds a stack of flavour and makes the surface crispy too. Quick way to make a dish that punches way above its weight for effort vs results. I've used it for white fish fillets here but it will be excellent with salmon, prawns/shrimp, chicken or turkey.Spiciness - Packs a decent punch! See note for how to control.Jamaican menu week! This Jerk Fish with Jamaican Slaw and Jamaican Coconut Rice and Peas (beans) plus rum and raisin ice creamwithout an ice cream maker for dessert!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time6 minutesmins
Resting fish2 minutesmins
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Keyword: jerk fish, jerk seasoning
Servings: 4
Calories: 249cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
Jerk seasoning (Note 1):
3tspgarlic powder
3tsponion powder
2tspcooking salt / kosher salt(reduce to 1 1/2 tsp for table salt)
3tspdried thyme
2 1/2tspbrown sugar, lightly packed (Note 2)
2 1/4tspcayenne pepper(it's spicy! See SPICE NOTE)
1 1/2tspsmoked paprika(sub ordinary paprika)
1 1/4tspallspice powder
1/2tspcinnamon powder
1/2tspnutmeg powder
Fish:
4x 160g/6 ozthin snapper or other white fish fillets, skinless, boneless (up to 1.5cm / 0.6" thick, Note 3)
3tbspextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Jerk Spice Blend - Mix the Jerk Seasoning spices together in a bowl then spread in a small tray that is just large enough to fit one fish fillet.
Coat fish - Pat fish dry with a paper towel. Then coat both sides of each fillet with the jerk seasoning, pressing to adhere. Shake off excess, place on a clean plate and coat remaining fish.
Cook fish - Heat half the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. When you see small wisps of smoke, place 2 fillets presentation side down and cook for 2 minutes.
Flip - the spice crust should be a deep bronze colour with a reddish tinge. Cook the other side for 1 minute until the target internal temperature is 55°C/130°F, or the fish flakes easily at the thickest point.
Rest on a rack for 2 minutes (to preserve crispy spice crust). Then serve! Recipes for pictured Jamaican sides coming on Tuesday - stay tuned!
Notes
SPICE LEVEL:Packs a good punch of spiciness, as is traditional! But it's balanced out by the sweetness and other spices. If you can't handle spicy food, reduce the cayenne. Just start with a bit then taste the spice mix.1. Spices - There's so many spices in Jerk seasoning, if you're missing one (or two...) it's not the end of the world, you'll still end up with a terrific Jamaican spice blend! Here are substitution suggestions:
Cayenne pepper - Pure ground chilli, red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper or omit if you want not spicy
Smoked paprika - ordinary paprika
Allspice powder - Mixed spice
Cinnamon powder - Try not to leave this out! It adds an irreplaceable special touch.
Nutmeg powder - More cinnamon
Salt note: 2 tsp may sound like a lot but because we are using thin pieces of fish, there is a lot of surface area to cover, plus you won't use all the seasoning (you need excess to properly coat fish). We tried this recipe with varying salt levels, and this is the right amount using cooking salt / kosher salt. If using table salt (which is finer), decrease to 1 1/2 tsp. 2. Brown sugar - just scoop then level the teaspoon measure. Don't pack the brown sugar in tightly before levelling.3. Fish - This seasoning will be terrific with any fish fillet suitable for pan frying. The only trick here is to use thin fillets up to 1.5cm / 0.6" at the thickest point so it will cook through in 3 minutes per recipe, before the jerk seasoning turns too dark. Remember - as soon as fish hits the hot pan, it will contract and will increase to around 2cm / 0.8" thick.4. Other proteins: Thin chicken breast, thighs or pork steaks (either pound or cut in half horizontally), shrimp/prawns. Toss in seasoning then pan fry.Vegetables: Par-cook the vegetables on the stove or BBQ then add the seasoning towards the end, else it may burn before you finish cooking the vegetables. Try thick slices of large mushrooms or eggplant steaks for a "meaty" meal. Alternatively, toss vegetables in olive oil + the seasoning then roast using using directions in these recipes (skip the seasonings/flavour, just use cutting, prep, bake temp + time) - broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, eggplant, Roasted Vegetables, Garlic Roasted Mushrooms, roast potatoes.5. Leftovers will keep for 2 days in the fridge. Not suitable for freezing.6. Nutrition per fish assuming 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 teaspoons salt is consumed across all 4 fillets. See also Note 1 for salt note.