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Spiced Cocoa-Rubbed Fish with Tamarind Chutney


Adapted from a recipe I found by Gary Rhodes' Rhodes Across the Caribbean, this dish was the centerpiece of our Antigua dinner...and it was a hit! Best of all, it was amazingly simple.

I used some fresh ono and yellowtail tuna that a friend had given me and skipped the garlic and onion powder since my chutney had enough garlic to scare away vampires!

Create a rub with organic brown sugar, cocoa powder, ground cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and freshly ground pink Himalaya salt and flower pepper. Pat your filets dry and completely covered the fish with the spices, gently rubbing the flavors into the flesh.


Heat butter and oil in a large flat-bottomed pan set over a moderate heat and cook the fish for 3 minutes before turning. The sugar will have caramelized and the fish taken on a dark sheen. Cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.


Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the pan, cover with a lid and gently simmer the fish for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking. The fish will flake easily when ready. Add another pat of butter to the pan and sharpen with a squeeze of lime. This dish works really well with the tart tang of tamarind chutney and a coconut basmati-pea pilaf.

Tamarind Chutney
1/2 C wet tamarind
1/2 C water
1 T minced garlic
3 T organic granulated sugar
2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
3 T freshly chopped fresh cilantro

Place all but the lime juice and cilantro in a saucepan. Cook till the tamarind is completely blended with the water and beginning to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

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