St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Blaff

A (Mental) Caribbean Vacation with a Real Caribbean Recipe

If you’ll recall, on our last virtual vacation we were trying to stay warm with Latvian Potato Soup through the week of the Artic winter blast. Then we got a little sidetracked and celebrated the Lunar New Year. It’s still fuh-reezing outside (like 12 inches of snow last night) but island time says I’m right on time with this post. Similarly, I’ve moved on from eating soup for warmth. I am craving some warm sunshine and a Caribbean vacation. But when that isn’t reality we can pretend with a tasty Caribbean recipe. Figuratively, the Global Kidchen is already there. More specifically, in the island archipelago of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, eating Blaff, sipping rum punch and listening to some Bob Marley.

Technically Spring Break is right around the corner, but I do not think that Spring the season is going to cooperate with the timing. As a kid growing up in Florida I never realized how much of a tropical paradise it could be. We love a Colorado winter and will be first in line for a powder day, but I do miss seeing any sign of colorful flowers and bright green trees. We actually tried to book that last-minute SB getaway to the Caribbean this past weekend, but procrastination and my stinginess got the best of us. Cue having family still in Florida – wink, wink.

Fun fact: St Vincent and the Grenadines is one of the last countries in the world to cultivate Arrowroot. So for all my gluten-free friends out there, thank this island country for the flour/breading substitute.

The Recipe: Blaff (Lime Marinated, Poached Fish)

Enough chit chat… time to sway to the sound of the steel drums and make some Blaff, classic Caribbean recipe of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Yes, I am playing a 2-hour steel drum YouTube video.

Easy enough, just mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the fish. Let it sit – the longer, the better – aim for overnight. A little bit, this reminds me of ceviche, but you’ll cook it at the end.

After the marinating part, add the water, wine and marinade to a pot and boil it for several minutes. Reduce to a simmer and add the fish. Cook about 10 minutes. Serve it up with some fresh, starchy veggies or some fried plantains! We had plans for two feet of snow while I made this… that grocery store had nothing left, no plantains for the Thomas’s tonight, we used rice.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 filets of firm white fish (I used Rockfish because in Colorado we have a limited selection of East Coast/Gulf/Carribbean seafood options. I would have totally preferred some Snapper, Grouper or Mahi)
• Juice from 4-5 limes (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 bundle parsely, choppped
• 2 hot peppers, sliced
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp, olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, making a marinade. Place fish last in and submerge. Allow the fish to sit in the marinade for at least 3 hours, but the longer you can go, the better!
2. After marinating the fish, pour the marinade into a pot and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the fish. Allow the fish to cook for another 15 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Serve over a bed of rice or with plantains. We used the broth as part of the final dish, too) I put a little fresh parsely and scallions on top also to keep it looking fresh!

File: St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Blaff