One of the more salient qualities of island living is the abundance of fresh seafood. Barbados is home to the flying fish, but there is also a wide range of fish caught within ten miles of the coast: Dolphin, Wahoo, Yellow Fin Tuna, Albacore (white tuna), Swordfish, Marlin, Barracuda, Sailfish or Billfish, Kingfish, Bonita or Skipjack, Shark, and Red Snapper to name just a few. It must be noted for those concerned with such matters that the dolphin variety found in Barbados isn't of the bottlenosed SeaWorld specimen: It is the multi-colored, blunt nosed dolphin known as Dorado or Mahi Mahi. And while the White Marlin is a protected gamefish in the United States, there are no such regulations in the Caribbean. Similarly, the Baraccuda is not a recognized food fish in North America due to a toxic impregnation called Ciguatera found in some species. Barracuda in the waters surrounding Barbados are free of this contamination. And yes, the flying fish do fly, propelling themselves from the water at speeds of up to 50 mph and then, spreading their dorsal fins to form wings, "fly" for distances in excess of 100 yards. There are scores of fish sellers and fisherfolk in Barbados. The largest fish markets are located in Bridgetown near the cruise ship port and in Oistins on the South Coast. Several smaller fish markets are located along both the South and West Coasts. Our personal favorite is the Weston fish market in St. James that is the home of Smokey, fishmonger to the stars! Sir Cliff Richard (who owns an elegant villa at Sugar Hill) once arrived at the Weston Fish Market with a television crew in tow in order to film Smokey at work for broadcast to millions of viewers in the UK. Smokey's clients are a who's who of the entertainment and business world. It is fascinating to watch Smokey expertly filet a Dolphin weighing upwards of 20 lb in minutes with his razor sharp machete. If the line at Smokey's is too long, feel free to step next door to John Moore's Bar for a "onesie" where the Prime Minister, Owen Arthur, is known to hold the occasional "cabinet meeting."
Ten pounds of yellow fin tuna will cost $60.00 or $30.00 US. Other varieties of fish have similar per pound pricing. Flying Fish, which is sold in several of the neighboring stalls by a group of lovely ladies, is $12.00 (US$6.00) for 10 "ready bone" or ready to cook filets. Indicate whether you want Smokey to "steak the fish" or to leave it whole with just the skin and bones removed. He will also include the fish head, chopped in to small pieces, unless he is instructed otherwise. Fish Head soup, or fish stock, is delicious---take home a fish head and give it a try!
The following are just a few of the recipes from Chef David Watts using fresh fish from the Weston Market.
STUFFED FLYING FISH
Ingredients:
10 Flying Fish filets 20 Asparagus spears (blanched) 10 thinly sliced Proscuitto or Cappocola Ham 2 cups Crabmeat mixture (see note below) 1/2 cup Parsley 2 Limes Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Heat oven to 400F. Place the flying fish on a lightly greased sheet pan. Place 2 blanched asparagus spears in the "ridges" of the flying fish; layer with a thin slice of the ham. Top with a heaping portion of the crab mixture, pressing down to cover the filet completely; bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Squeeze lime juice over each piece and garnish with sprinkled parsley before serving. Serve over linguine, rice, or garlic mashed potatoes. Serves 10
Crab Meat Mixture Place 1 lb of backfin crabmeat in a bowl (pick through to remove any shells). Add 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard, 1 egg lightly beaten, 1 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning, pinch of sugar, and 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for at leat one hour.
GRILLED FISH WITH SWEET MANGO BARBEQUE SAUCE
Ingredients:
4 marlin or dolphin steaks, or other meaty fish, cut 1" thick, brushed with olive oil and pressed garlic, and seasoned with salt and pepper.
For the barbeque sauce:
1tbsp olive oil 1/2 onion, diced 1/2 hot pepper, seeded 1/4 cup pureed mango 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/4 apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup beef stock 1 tsp Tabasco 1 pinch salt 1 cup beer
In a large saucepan, over high heat, saute onions and pepper in oil. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil then simmer over medium/low heat for 30 minutes. Puree sauce in a blender or food processor.
If using a barbeque grill, heat for 10 to 15 minutes on high. Or, if using a grill pan or a frying pan, heat to medium high. Sear the fish for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until almost completely opaque. Brush 3/4 of the barbeque sauce onto both sides and grill an additional 1 minute per side. For those who prefer their fish medium rare, reduce cooking time to 3 1/2 minutes per side. Top with the reaming sauce and serve.
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