How To Make Caribbean Green Seasoning Marinade
Want to take the flavor of your fish up a notch?
And I do mean, really AMP it up to the point of your tastebuds standing up and taking notice?
If so, then I’ve discovered the most amazing marinade/seasoning for fish!
After visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands recently, and falling in love with the unique and delicious Caribbean cuisine, I had to find out how . . . as best as I could . . . to replicate some of the extraordinary dishes that we enjoyed on the islands.
So as always, I buy several (well maybe 5 or more) local cuisine cookbooks for vacation souvenirs and anxiously awaited finding the page where I would find something, ANYTHING written about how to prepare Caribbean-spiced fried fish (known as ‘potfish’ — whatever fish on hand is thrown in the pot!).
I found nothing . . . nah dah!
Bummer!
So what next? Search for a recipe on the internet. My search finally came up with what I was looking for.
BINGO!
What I found out about this unique cuisine: The MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT in the Caribbean islands for preparing any fish or meat is something known as ‘green seasoning’ used for marinating food. Since I don’t have local access to some of the unique foods for this recipe, I used the best ingredients I could find to substitute and still make the marinade seasoning taste superb!
Here is a version of what I was looking for:
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fresh ingredients cleaned and ready to puree!
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Lay out all of the very easy to find ingredients; if you have a super-blender, they will puree’ nicely!
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everything in my super-blender ready to go for a spin!
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Following the instructions for your blender, give everything a short spin to puree’!
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perfectly pureed!
Done in just a few seconds, not even a full minute!
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The smell is extraordinary . . . to taste it alone is super hot . . . have water on hand . . . this is meant for a marinade and not to eat on its own. Your mouth will burn!
When using for a marinade, you only use about a tablespoon or two of this stuff.
You can freeze the rest in plastic ice cube trays and remove them to place in a plastic freezer bag to use later.
It really makes such a difference in the flavor of fish . . .
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My next post will be on the recipe my husband and I prepared using this marinade: Caribbean Fried Red Snapper (also known as ‘Potfish”).
But you have to make this first, which I did the day before.
SUPER EASY!!!!!
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a beautiful, deep, rich color of green freshness!
<strong>Caribbean Green Seasoning Marinade</strong>
I know that this is not an Italian recipe. But I don't eat Italian food every day and truly enjoy the diversity of food 'out there'. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! After enjoying the Caribbean specialty of "Fried Potfish" during our time in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I had to find a recipe for the seasoning for the Fried Red Snapper that we enjoyed. This recipe is not my own, but rather from a blog "Caribeean Pot" for which I am grateful for "Chris", the author, sharing the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh Cilantro, stems removed
- 2 stalks of celery (with any leaves if possible)
- 12 cloves of garlic, one entire head of large garlic
- 6 green onions
- 1 cup fresh thyme, minced
- ¼ cup water
- One 3-inch long fresh banana pepper or ¼ cup jarred banana peppers
Instructions
- Wash and trim all ingredients.
- Cut into smaller pieces for easier blending/pureeing process.
- Place in a powerful blender and puree, using a kitchen tool to press the ingredients down through the top hole of the blender to include the unblended ingredients on the top of the blender container (if you have a Vita-Mix such as mine, it comes with a plastic tool to press ingredients down from the hole on top).
- Puree to your preference of liquid -- chunky or more liquid-y.
- Use the amount that you need immediately, as in the "Caribbean Fried Red Snapper Potfish" recipe.
- Freeze the rest of the 'green seasoning' in ice cube trays.
- Once frozen, place in plastic freezer bags to use and enjoy later.
- This green seasoning stays useable after frozen up to 3 months.
- If the color darkens during the frozen state, there is no need to worry, the flavor is still present, the color is simply oxidized and darkened.
Notes
Original Recipe can be found on Caribbean Pot blog: http://caribbeanpot.com
This recipe is not my own and I am grateful for "Chris", the author of the Caribbean Pot blog, sharing the recipe.
One final look at our fresh shipped from the Caribbean Red Snapper all dressed up in this beautiful Green Seasoning Marinade!
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Is your mouth anticipating the next recipe for preparing fish with this marinade?
You’re gonna love it!
The recipe after the next will be how we prepared Fish Tacos with the left-over fish from this 3-pound snapper!
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Hello Roz! I hope you doing well, I really want to thank you for this Deliciousss & healthy recipe, I research recipes daily for my Dinner, but I never saw this before. it’s so different and damn tasty. Today my Red Snapper will make my boys crazy. They’ll love it as i. Thanks once again. Please keep sharing your experience. Stay safe & healthy. 🙂
Roz,
My hubby would love this. I can’t believe you don’t eat Italian food every day! 🙂
Annamaria
Oh Annamaria, I could not eat Italian recipes/cuisine on a daily basis due to so much delicious variety here in the States. Hey, even my cousins in Italy enjoy French and American food! Variety is the spice of life, right?
Hugs,
Roz
It sounds delicious Roz, but I’m a little confused since you said it was really hot and the only thing with heat is the banana pepper which is usually pretty mild. Did you use some high heat version in yours.
Sorry to just get back to you Larry. So much has gone on in my life in the last 3 months that I’ve been barely able to just blog now and then (for my sanity). Well, this was hot for me, but may not be hot for someone else. But when spread on the fish, it was just perfect. Hope that helps; it’s a great marinade; super easy; and one that I’ll make again. I’m not the source, but rather from a Caribbean food blogger.
Roz
It looks so fresh and packed full of flavours with that homemade herbal marinade! Thanks for sharing, Roz.
Yes, this is certainly a very fresh marinade. We’re glad that we found the recipe!
xo
Roz
This marinade looks and sounds so delicious and flavorful, Roz! I love it when a marinade packs a lot of punch so you can really taste it in the food after it is cooked. This has such delicious ingredients in it, that I know it must give great flavor to the fish. Isn’t it fun to be inspired to cook from a vacation? I appreciate you passing that inspiration along to us!
Thanks so much Shari. It is amazing as you said how much we can be inspired by the foods of the destinations in which we travel. Funny how few people have even commented on this delcious=crazy Caribbean marinade, as simple as it is, to just ‘yummify’ grilled fish. I guess it’s just too foreign for some folks. But isn’t that the fun of cooking? Trying new things? I know that I’m sold on this and will make this marinade over and over again! Thanks Shari! Hugs, Roz