Do you love baked haddock but are tired of the same old lemon and dill or whatever it is that you always do? Use a classic Caribbean Green Sauce to take that same old baked haddock and make it something memorable. Just because you can't travel to the Caribbean right now doesn't mean you can't have a taste of the Caribbean in your kitchen. And just because you want to eat baked haddock doesn't mean you have to bore your taste buds.
The Green Sauce
Green sauce, in one form or another, is common all over the Caribbean. There is no single recipe for it, and there is no right or wrong way to make it. Everyone will have their own version and their own secret mix of ingredients. The Caribbean Green Sauce recipe that I am going to share with you today is the way it is because it's based on the herbs that I have growing in my garden. You may not have or even want to use the same ones.
Building the Sauce
The base of the green sauce is onion, garlic, and peppers. To that, a few handfuls of herbs are added, along with a bit of salt and olive oil. That's about it. However, there are a lot of variations that can be made within those confines:
- The onion can be substituted or combined with scallions, shallots, or red onion.
- The peppers can be sweet or spicy. I used a habanero, but if you don't like things spicy, you can switch it out for red bell pepper.
- The herbs can be mixed up. I used a combination of cilantro, thyme, oregano, and parsley. Use whatever combination you would like.
Puree it all together and you have green sauce. This kind of all-purpose sauce is similar in spirit to the way I approach sauce making in general -- start with a solid base and adjust to your taste. For the full recipe for my sauce, check out the recipe below.
If you have more haddock than you need, my haddock fishcakes are where it goes.
Recipe
Caribbean Green Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Thyme
- ¼ cup Cilantro
- ¼ cup parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
- 6 cloves Garlic
- ½ cup chopped Onions
- 1 habanero or scotch bonnet Peppers
- ¼ teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a blend and blend until smooth.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Marinate the Fish
To make baked haddock, you need haddock. I used four relatively small haddock fillets, but there was enough marinade for four to five large pieces. Put the haddock in the green sauce and let it sit for about two hours. Because there is no added acidity in the green sauce, it is okay to let the haddock sit in it and marinate overnight. For more tips on preparing fish, check out my post on everything I know about cooking fish.
Side Dishes
To complement the flavour of the green sauce baked haddock, I made red beans and rice and boiled sweet potato. To make the rice and beans, I used 1 cup of basmati rice (not traditional, but it is what I had on hand) combined with one (540ml) can of red kidney beans. To the rice and beans, I added two bay leaves, a ¼ teaspoon of allspice, and a ½ teaspoon of marjoram. I added two cups of water to the rice, brought it to a boil, put a lid on the pot and reduced the heat to low, then left it to simmer for 17 minutes.
Cooking the Caribbean Style Baked Haddock
After the haddock has had some time to marinate in the green sauce, it is time to cook. Use equal parts (about half a cup) each of red and green bell pepper and white onion, along with one tablespoon of sliced garlic. Heat a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat. Add in two teaspoons of olive oil along with the pepper and onion. Cook the vegetables for four to five minutes, then add in the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Pour half a cup of hot water into the pan, then carefully place the haddock in, pouring the excess marinade into the pan. Put the pan in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the haddock is cooked. Making sure your pan is properly heated before adding the fish is one of those fundamental cooking techniques that makes a real difference.
Finishing the Sauce
When the haddock is finished cooking, take it out of the pan, and put the pan back on the heat. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil and cook until the sauce is thick. When the haddock first comes out of the oven, the sauce will appear to be split -- the oil in the sauce hasn't yet combined with the water. Boiling will help to evaporate some of the water, as well as bond the remaining water with the oil. When the sauce is finished, it should look smooth.
Plating and Serving
Finishing the dish is as simple as plating the boiled sweet potato and the rice and beans, then putting the haddock over it with a bit of the sauce.
Rather than making the sauce as I did, the marinated haddock can be put on a parchment-lined baking sheet and baked at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the haddock is cooked. The benefit of making the baked haddock the way I did is that you end up with more of a sauce, a few more vegetables, and the fish will take on a bit more of the flavour. However, you will be happy with the dish either way.
This Caribbean baked haddock has become one of my favourite ways to prepare fish, and the green sauce is so versatile that I now keep a batch in the fridge at all times. I'd love to hear what your favourite way to make baked haddock is -- let me know in the comments below.
