Go tropical with a Jamaican grouper recipe
This fish dish features the bright red ackee fruit, coconut and crabmeat
 Alan Smith |
Recipes from TODAY |
 |
THIS WEEK: Ackee & Crab Crusted Grouper from The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Rose Hall, Jamaica
With the cold chill still gripping the nation, many are wishing for clear sunny skies. And this week, we give you another tropical destination to warm yourself on: Jamaica where we steal Chef Lee Goble's Ackee & Crab Crusted Grouper recipe. Ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica, is a bright red fruit with yellow flesh. Only the fleshy parts around the seeds are edible and usually prepared with salted cod and onions. Some remark that the flavor and texture of the fruit is somewhat like scrambled eggs. An unripe ackee or overripe one is extremely poisonous. But here, ackee can be found canned in West Indian grocery stores. Peppers are essential in this dish so when buying them Chef Goble cautions that you ensure the skin is not wrinkled, and that the peppers are large with well-formed sides for the sweetest peppers. Don't know what country peppers are? They're a type of chili pepper, hot in taste. They're different from the large peppers used in day to day cooking ... but optional in this recipe. Don't be intimidated! This unique dish is well worth the effort.
About the chef: 
Half a year ago, Lee Goble was appointed Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica. Goble joins The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort after running a 550 room resort at the Grand Hotel Hurghada in Egypt where he supervised six restaurant outlets that feature Egyptian, International, Italian, seafood and beach grill cuisine in addition to banquet services.
Born and educated in London, he held a number of positions in Europe and Canada with organizations as diversified as The Ritz London, Inn on the Lake Hotel and the Rocksdale Restaurant, owned by Classical Cuisine. Goble has extensive Caribbean experience and has been instrumental in several competitions and culinary projects including a member of the judging panel for the Egyptian Chefs Association - Salon Culinaire, multi-wining team for Jamaica Cultural Development Commission Culinary Competition and gold medal member of the Caribbean Culinary team in Texas.
Goble oversees all culinary activities at the property’s restaurants, lounges, banquet kitchens, as well as all aspects of the hotel’s epicurean pursuits - Jasmine for Jamaican ingredients that are prepared with Asian techniques; Horizon for breakfast and dinner served indoors and out, Mangos for casual poolside dining, The White Witch Restaurant with panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and the beachside Reggae Jerk Center for jerk cuisine. Jamaican coffees, rums and cocktails are served in Cohoba Lounge. “To be here in Jamaica, as part of the island’s only AAA five diamond resort is a wonderful opportunity to introduce new service standards and techniques that can influence the Island’s exotic cuisine with international flavors that our sophisticated traveler guest can enjoy,” commented Chef Goble.
Ackee & Crab Crusted Grouper is served at The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort at Rose Hall in Jamaica for $38.The recipe is for a restaurant-sized serving of one.
INGREDIENTS
Ackee & Crab Crusted Grouper
Steaming Liquor
Jerk Sauce
Coconut Rundown
Steal This Recipe® step-by-step Instructions
1. Season grouper using half of the country pepper, and all of the tamarind, and cinnamon and leave to soak overnight in a separate container
2. The next day, sear the grouper and set aside
3. The next day, season ackee and crab with salt and pepper to taste
4. Add the rum and marinate the ackee and crab (marinate for 30 minutes)
5. Make the Coconut Rundown (see instructions below)
6. Use the Steaming Liquor to steam grouper: take some foil (8" square), butter this and place in the fish, add 1/2 cup of wine and bay leaves, close the foil and place in moderate oven (the grouper needs to sit in a small pool of cooking liquor within the foil)
7. Make Jerk Sauce (see instructions below); add rum to taste and add glace, boil (do not boil too much, this will make it salty)
8. In a separate pan sauté the onion and garlic, add plantains, butter, and salt and pepper to taste
9. To serve, splash plate with Jerk Sauce
10. Place plantain and onions on a plate with grouper
11. Pour Coconut Rundown over the grouper
12. Top plate with the ackee and crab mixture
13. Place plate under grill or broiler and brown slightly prior to serving
Coconut Rundown Instructions
1. Sauté onions and garlic and peppers
2. Add thyme; pinch your index finger and thumb together and pull the thyme branch between them, the thyme will come off the branch (no need to chop)
3. Add coconut milk and simmer
4. Add country pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste
Jerk Sauce Instructions
1. Mix ginger and honey together
2. Pinch your index finger and thumb together and pull the thyme branch between them, the thyme will come off the branch (no need to chop)
3. Add thyme to mix
Optional: Top with golden fried tortilla strips and lime.
For complete nutritional information, please go to supermarketguru.com.
MANAGE YOUR RECIPES
The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort
1 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Rose Hall
St. James, Jamaica, West Indies
1-800-826-9430
www.ritzcarlton.com
Want to nominate your favorite restaurant dish for a "Steal This Recipe" feature? Just e-mail Phil at Phil.Lempert@nbc.com (or use the mail box below) with the name of the restaurant, city and state, and the dish you would like to have re-created. Want to know more about Phil and food? Visit his Web site at www.supermarketguru.com.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
- Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM STEAL THIS RECIPE |
 Savor Sicilian skewered chicken |
| Add Steal this Recipe headlines to your news reader: |