At Charlotteville we used to wait for the boats to come in; then everyone went to the fish depot with basins to get big meaty slices of wahoo!
This time we are on the southern end of Tobago, so we decide on a fishing expedition aboard the good ship Hard Play, chartered through Teija and crewed with her son Adrian. We bantered that the overcast skies and persistent rain augured well for fish. Indeed, after just a few hours, the fishermen returned with wahoo, king fish, mackerel and barracuda, caught in the waters between Tobago and Trinidad. Wahoo is a very fast swimming fish, an exciting game fish that gives a satisfying fight, and delicious to eat.
Here's one of the meals we enjoyed from fillets of wahoo. These tend to be fleshy but firm when cooked. Fresh fish should be cooked "just to done" and this means under- rather than over-cooking. The meat is cooked when it turns from the translucence of the raw fish to an even opaque texture.
FRIED WAHOO
Wahoo slices, filleted
Flour, cup in a plastic bag
Salt, half teaspoon
Coconut oil, half to three-quarter cup
Sauce for fried fish:
Onion, sliced
Garlic, 2 or 3 cloves crushed and chopped
Tomato, 2 or 3 sliced or chopped
Hot pepper, small piece
Pimentos, 3 or 4 chopped
Ginger, small piece chopped
Ketchup, 3 or 4 tablespoons
Heat coconut oil in an iron pot while dredging slices of wahoo with salt in flour. (Use the plastic bag so you can drop the fish slices in and shake vigorously to coat.)
Over medium to low heat, fry slices of flour-coated fish in the oil until brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper or a brown paper bag. When all slices have been cooked, put the onion, garlic, pepper, tomato, ginger into the oil and saute until tender. Add ketchup and cook together until well combined. Serve the fish with the sauce over it.
BAKED PLANTAIN WITH CHEESE
Ripe plantain, 3, peeled and cut in four (lengthwise and then across)
Cheese, cheddar, a slice for the top of each piece of plantain
Arrange plantain in a shallow dish. Put a slice of cheese on top each piece of plantain. Bake in a hot oven (350 degrees F) for about 25 minutes or until cheese is browned.
PUMPKIN AND OCHRO
Pumpkin, about a pound, cut up in small cubes
Ochroes, 10 - 12, stems removed and sliced in three-quarter inch pieces
Olive oil, 2- 3 tablespoons
Garlic, 1 or 2 cloves chopped
Salt to taste
Sugar, half teaspoon or less
Heat oil in frying pan at medium heat, and saute garlic, sprinkle with salt. Add pumpkin and saute until the pumpkin pieces are half cooked. Add ochroes and continue to cook until they are tender but not breaking apart. Add a touch of sugar to bring out the sweetness of the pumpkin.
Round the meal off with the superlative and unique Tobago J and J ice cream - pistachio coconut, guava coconut or pineapple! Yum!
This time we are on the southern end of Tobago, so we decide on a fishing expedition aboard the good ship Hard Play, chartered through Teija and crewed with her son Adrian. We bantered that the overcast skies and persistent rain augured well for fish. Indeed, after just a few hours, the fishermen returned with wahoo, king fish, mackerel and barracuda, caught in the waters between Tobago and Trinidad. Wahoo is a very fast swimming fish, an exciting game fish that gives a satisfying fight, and delicious to eat.
 |
| Waiting for the boat to come in |
 |
| And the expedition is off! |
 |
| Proud fishermen return with wahoo, king fish, mackerel and barracuda |
Here's one of the meals we enjoyed from fillets of wahoo. These tend to be fleshy but firm when cooked. Fresh fish should be cooked "just to done" and this means under- rather than over-cooking. The meat is cooked when it turns from the translucence of the raw fish to an even opaque texture.
 |
| Wahoo slices dredged in flour and fried |
FRIED WAHOO
Wahoo slices, filleted
Flour, cup in a plastic bag
Salt, half teaspoon
Coconut oil, half to three-quarter cup
Sauce for fried fish:
Onion, sliced
Garlic, 2 or 3 cloves crushed and chopped
Tomato, 2 or 3 sliced or chopped
Hot pepper, small piece
Pimentos, 3 or 4 chopped
Ginger, small piece chopped
Ketchup, 3 or 4 tablespoons
Heat coconut oil in an iron pot while dredging slices of wahoo with salt in flour. (Use the plastic bag so you can drop the fish slices in and shake vigorously to coat.)
Over medium to low heat, fry slices of flour-coated fish in the oil until brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper or a brown paper bag. When all slices have been cooked, put the onion, garlic, pepper, tomato, ginger into the oil and saute until tender. Add ketchup and cook together until well combined. Serve the fish with the sauce over it.
 |
| Plantain topped with cheese and baked |
BAKED PLANTAIN WITH CHEESE
Ripe plantain, 3, peeled and cut in four (lengthwise and then across)
Cheese, cheddar, a slice for the top of each piece of plantain
Arrange plantain in a shallow dish. Put a slice of cheese on top each piece of plantain. Bake in a hot oven (350 degrees F) for about 25 minutes or until cheese is browned.
 |
| Sweet pumpkin and slippery ochro |
PUMPKIN AND OCHRO
Pumpkin, about a pound, cut up in small cubes
Ochroes, 10 - 12, stems removed and sliced in three-quarter inch pieces
Olive oil, 2- 3 tablespoons
Garlic, 1 or 2 cloves chopped
Salt to taste
Sugar, half teaspoon or less
Heat oil in frying pan at medium heat, and saute garlic, sprinkle with salt. Add pumpkin and saute until the pumpkin pieces are half cooked. Add ochroes and continue to cook until they are tender but not breaking apart. Add a touch of sugar to bring out the sweetness of the pumpkin.
Round the meal off with the superlative and unique Tobago J and J ice cream - pistachio coconut, guava coconut or pineapple! Yum!
Sorry, I missed this delicious meal,.....I could smell it over the internet.....yummy!!
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