How to Prepare Roast Fish

By: Lavina Calvin, Chevernese Facey and Tracy-Ann Morris

Steam rises out of the oven a tantalizing aroma is released permeating the air. Moisture covers pink honey suckle tongue leaving a scrumptious sensation. The sweet taste slithered slowly through my mouth leaving me panting. Strong bones, low cholesterol, just the thought calm nerves and lightens the air. Vitamins, omega 3, dietary fibre and protein vitalize and produce strong healthy bodies. Bodies of substance that will have you wondering, “Am I an athlete?” The tantalizing taste tickled my taste buds. I yearned for more, my tummy giggled with joy and saliva began to multiply for more of the enriching roast fish. It slowly swirled down the tubes and rushed to my stomach.

In preparing this scrumptious and mouth watering roast the first thing you will need is fish. Use two medium size fish, red snapper is ideal; however you may use whatever you have. Smell it! Fresh fish should smell fresht: you should feel that you're standing at the ocean's edge. Any fishy or strong flavors means the fish is past its prime; do not buy it. You should reject almost every fish if it doesn’t smell fresh. You can be sure that the fish we chose was moist, delicate, and delicious. Whole fish should look as they were just pulled from the water; bright eyes and firm flesh are signs of freshness.

So we have gathered our main ingredient that of our lovely fish. Now, clean and de-scale fish in water with lime/lemon. Dry your fish with paper towel, place fish in large bowl. What else do we need now? We need our artificial seasonings to add “lil spunk” to our pot. Retrieve from your cupboard the following: 1 tsp salt, tsp all-purpose seasoning1/2 tsp Black Pepper, and 1\2 tsp Paprika. All purpose seasoning has a versatility that allows it to be dispersed amongst most dishes to add zest, flavor and panache. Black pepper is produced from the still-green unripe drupes of the pepper plant. The drupes are cooked briefly in hot water, both to clean them and to prepare them for drying. The heat ruptures cell walls in the pepper, speeding the work of browning enzymes during drying. The drupes are dried in the sun or by machine for several days, during which the pepper around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dried, the spice is called black peppercorn. Black peppercorn is considered spicier than white peppercorn. According to the website www.kabbala.info It's also been learned that Paprika which is another of the ingredients we will be using , is an antibacterial agent and stimulant and can be used to help normalize blood pressure, improve circulation, and increase the production of saliva and stomach acids to aid digestion. Paprika is a dark reddish-orange colour and is easy to find in your local supermarket. Last of our artificial seasonings is that of that our salt. In Matthew 5:13, of the bible it says : "you are the salt of the earth", Luke 14:34, "if the salt has lost its flavour, how shall it be seasoned." . So if you use it in moderation then you won't have to worry about high blood pressure! Add all of your dry artificial seasonings to your fish and leave to marinate for 3-6 hours in fridge. Now that your master piece has finished its course in marinating, cut up remaining fresh ingredients along with fresh callaloo or spinach. Divide ingredients equally into a bowl and add butter. What do you need, other than the stated callaloo. Scotch bonnet which a study published in Cancer Research found that capsaicin found in peppers caused cancer cells to die. Next One small onion. There are many different varieties of onion, red, yellow, white, and green, each with their own unique flavor, from very strong to mildly sweet. Onions can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried or roasted. They are commonly used to flavor dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fry and other dishes. Onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure. You also need two clove of garlic. Garlic has long been considered a herbal "wonder drug", with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the common cold and flu to the Plague. Next ingredient is that of 1 sprig thyme. This is not only used to add flavour to delicacies but it helps relieves respiratory problems. Tomatoes as well pimentos are then added to the fish. They not only provide flavour but one of the most well known tomato eating benefit is its' Lycopene content. Lycopene is a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation as well as other kinds of health complications and diseases. Pimentos which are also added are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Vitamin A is good for your eyesight as well as your skin and mucous membranes. Cut up all fresh ingredients along with fresh callaloo or spinach. It is a know factor that callaloo adds iron to the diet and is very important for females. The next task to do is that of dividing ingredients equally into a bowl, add butter and mix well. Stuff the mixture inside the belly of the fish. Use the remaining mixture to add to both sides of the fish. Wrap in heavy duty foil and cook on a grill or oven at 180 degrees C (gas nark 4). Cook from 20- 30 minutes turning once. "In the hands of an able cook, fish can become an inexhaustible source of perpetual delight." Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Have fun preparing this wonderful dish, and remember not only smell appetizing but it should look appealing. Bon Appétit