Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Jamaican-Style Fish Stew
This simple skillet stew is rich with Caribbean flavors. It’s inspired by a dish called Jamaican run-down, which simmers mackerel in coconut milk, along with tomatoes, thyme and aromatics. The cooking liquid reduces to a luxurious sauce with spiciness and fruity notes from the habanero chili, tropical flavor from the coconut and brightness from the lime juice. Instead of mackerel, which can be difficult to source and also has an assertiveness that’s polarizing, we use mild, firm sea bass fillets. Serve with fried plantains or rice and beans.
4 to 6
Servings
Tip
Don’t touch your face if you’ve handled the habanero with bare hands, as there will be residual capsaicin on your fingers. If you have food-safe gloves, consider slipping them on before prepping the chili. And don’t use light coconut milk, as its flavor and consistency are too lean and watery.
40 minutes
Ingredients
-
2
tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
-
1
medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
Directions
-
01In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, habanero and allspice; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to break down and release their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes.
Reviews
April 20, 2025
Different
This was really good - different. Used monkfish instead of expensive sea bass or snapper. Any solid fish like grouper or cod would also work. At the end used the magic trick of adding 1 tsp sugar to make the flavors come together. Worked like a charm.
January 20, 2025
Delightful
Used datil pepper(an unique, distinct pepper from our area) instead of habenero and it took it over the top!!. So delicious and easy. I am adding it to my 'go to' file.
April 19, 2023
Best dish to showcase habanero flavour
Absolutely love this dish! I added 2 habaneros as the batch I had from the store were a bit weak. This dish truly showcases the wonderful fruitiness of habanero and the heat was a lovely combination with the rest of the ingredients. The sauce was delicious on rice. Can't say enough good things. We used frozen tilapia and added some arugula at the end. If you love habanero please try this, you won't be disappointed.
May 20, 2022
Meh
The sauce was quite thin and didn't carry much flavor. I'd try it again but next time I'd add very little water to the coconut milk and maybe add a bit of fresh ginger to brighten it up.
January 19, 2024
Excellent!
I made this just as written and it was delicious. Simple to make, just the right amount of spice. I made it with sea bass, which was excellent but expensive. Next time I might try it with a less expensive white fish such as cod.
Become A Subscriber To Rate and Review All Our Recipes.
Please Log in or join today for $1.
