Pear and Mango Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves
Why I Love This Recipe
Quick and easy recipe that takes under a half an hour to prepare. Healthy and delicious. Sort of French Carribean and California fusion.
Ingredients You'll Need
two large filets of favorite white fish (Recommend sole, sea bass, tilapea or red snapper.)
tablespoon of kosher salt
sliced lemon halves
two pears
one medium-sized mango
half a banana
one tablespoon brown sugar
quarter cup of fresh coconut juice from a fresh coconut -- or cheat it and use coconut milk or juice from a can.
one white onion
two large cloves of garlic
large banana leaves
a quarter cup of fresh coconut juice
two tablespoons brown sugar
paprika
couple of thinly sliced lemon slices
Directions
Wash two large filets of favorite white fish.
Vigorously rub each filet with tablespoon of kosher salt.
Wrap and leave in refrigerator for ten minutes.
Remove. Rub both sides of each filet over sink with sliced lemon halves, gently squeezing as you rub.
You should make the filet moist enough to wash most of the salt off of the filet.
Then QUICKLY run filets under cold water, making sure not to wash too thoroughly... Just enough to wash any remaining salt from surface.
Take pears. Peel and core.
Take mango. Peel skin and remove pit.
Peel half a banana.
Place fruit ingredients in sauce pan on simmer.
Add one tablespoon brown sugar.
Add a quarter cup of fresh coconut juice.
Heat, stirring often.
Use wooden spoon to mush ingredients together.
Slice one white onion.
Press two large cloves of garlic.
Take a large banana leaf and place in a deep baking dish, creating a pocket. Place a smaller banana leaf on the bottom of the pocket, creating a layer.
Place the first filet on layer.
Rub half of the pressed garlic over the filet.
Place half of the onion slices over it.
Strain about a quarter of the liquid from the fruit mixture over this filet.
Cover with another layer of banana leaf.
Place the second filet on this top layer.
Rub other half of the pressed garlic over the filet.
Place other half of the onion slices over it.
Strain the remaining liquid from the fruit mixture over this filet.
If you've done this in a deep enough dish, you can now wrap the big leaf that formed the pocket over the filets.
If wrapped right, you should be able to easily pick that warpped leaf up and place it in the top portion of a steamer.
Boil water.
Pour a quarter cup of fresh coconut juice back into the fruit mixture and continue to simmer over very low heat, stirring and mushing the compote.
Add two more tablespoons of brown sugar.
Once water is boiling, place the steaming portion over pot.
Cover. Let steam for 12-15 minutes.
When done, remove steaming portion of boiler and carefully unwrap banana leaf.
If you placed the layers properly, you should be able to pick up the top banana leaf layer from underneath the top filet and slide the filet off onto a plate.
Repeat with the bottom layer.
Now strain liquid from the fruit mixture over the filets, allowing the colorful liquid to form a very thin layer on the bottom of each plate. (Not a pool, more of a film. Don't use too much liquid.)
Strain the remaining liquid from the sauce pan. This will leave you with a compote of mango, pear and banana.
Scoop a nicely (couple of table spoons) sized dollop of this and plate it on slices of the banana leaf you used to steam, beside the fish as a delicious accompanyment.
Sprinkle fish with paprika for color and place a coupe of thinly sliced lemon slices on top of the fruit liquid.
