Servings: 4 people
Calories: 506kcal
Ingredients
For the Fish
- 4 Red Snapper Fish Fillets
- 1 Lime Juiced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Coconut Sauce
- 13 oz Canned Coconut Milk
- 1 tablespoon Annatto Seeds
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 medium Yellow Onion diced
- 4 whole Garlic Cloves diced
- 1 large Bell Pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
Marinate the Fish
- Place snapper fillets in a glass baking dish. Pour lime juice all over the fish then season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Make the Achiote Oil
- Place the annatto seeds in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and give the pan a swirl making sure the pan is fully covered with the oil. Simmer for a few minutes stirring once or twice. The oil should turn a dull orange or near. Set aside.
Make Garlic Paste
- Using a mortar and pestle mash up the garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper into a smooth thick paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle place all the ingredients in a plastic ziplock bag then use a rolling pin to mash and form the paste.
Make The Coconut Milk Sauce
- Heat the achiote oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and peppers then saute 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally. Onions should be a bit translucent.
- Add the garlic paste to the pan with the vegetables. Saute another 3-4 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and cilantro. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens a bit. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt or pepper depending on taste.
Cook the Fish
- Remove the snapper from the marinade. Add to the skillet with the coconut mixture skin side up. Cover, reduce heat, and cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes. Fish should flake pretty easily.
- After about 5-6 minutes of cooking use a spoon and baste the sauce on top of the fish every few minutes. Remove from the pan to a large plate. Serve with white rice and garnish with more cilantro and lime wedges
Video
Notes
Annatto normally comes in seeds, but you may come across it in ground form. Either is fine.
I used olive oil to make the achiote oil because that's what I had on hand, but a good neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or grapeseed works fine.
Coconut milk and coconut cream are not the same. Make sure you get the former. I prefer full-fat coconut milk, but feel free to use a lighter version.
Go with fresh fish and choose the freshest you can find. I like red snapper, but this coconut sauce pairs well with any white fish like grouper, halibut, or cod. It also pairs well with other seafood like shrimp and scallops.
I used a combination of different colored bell peppers. I'm partial to red bell pepper but liked the mixture because it adds to the visual appeal of the dish.
Don't cook the sauce at too hot a temperature as the sauce will brown essentially burning.
For dramatic effect, you could cook a whole red snapper, but fresh fish fillets are more practical and easier to cook.
The coconut flavor is the foundation for this dish. It gives it that Caribbean vibe and makes the dish a bit more festive.
Serve with a little lime juice to break through the saturated fat of the coconut milk.
Reserve the leftover coconut milk sauce and use it as a sauce in other dishes.
Nutrition
Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 999mg | Potassium: 1121mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1550IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 3mg
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