Blackened Chesapeake Striped Bass on Sweet Caribbean Whipped Yams with Spicy Tropical Fruit Salsa and a Cajun Tabasco Remoulade

Recipe courtesy of Frederick Mookie Hicks {FMH Hospitality}

Serves: 4 large dinner bowl portions

Ingredients

Blackened Chesapeake Striped Bass...

• four striped bass or rockfish fillets/skin-on (about 8 to 9 oz. each)
• ¾ cup olive oil (make sure to use good quality)
• ½ cup white wine (make sure to use good quality)
• 2 large cloves of fresh garlic (roughly chopped)
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 bunch fresh parsley (chopped)
• 4 springs thymes (leaves picked)
• 1 jalapeño chile (chopped)
• NouvoSoul's Cajun Seasoning (to taste)
• four medium to large yams (washed)
• 8 tbsp sweet salted butter
• 6 tbsp honey (unrefined is best)
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground white pepper
• ½  bunch fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 2 green onions-whites only (medium sliced)
• ½  yellow bell pepper (seeded and medium dice)
• ½  red bell pepper (seeded and medium dice)
• 2 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes (seeded and medium diced)
• 1 fresh mango (medium diced)
• 4 figs (cut in quarters)
• 1 small papaya (medium diced)
• 1 pint strawberries (cut into quarters)
• 1 can pineapple rings (cut into 1 inch long sections)
• 1 fresh Louisiana Chile (medium diced)
• juice of one lime
• zest of one lime
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup cane syrup
• ¾ cup good quality mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 clove fresh garlic (chopped finely)
• ¼ sweet farm onion (chopped finely)
• 1 tbsp sweet relish
• 3 tbsp grainy mustard
• 2 tbsp NouvoSoul's Cajun Seasoning
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• a few dashes of Tabasco sauce (use to your taste)

Candied Whipped Yams...

Tropical Fruit Salsa...

Cajun Tabasco Remoulade

Directions

First make the fish marinade. Combine olive oil, wine, garlic cloves, lime juice, parsley, thyme and jalapeño chile in a blender. Hold the Cajun seasoning for the fish to the side until ready for use. Blend for two minutes then pour the marinade into a small shallow glass dish. (A glass deep dish pie casserole would work great for this as well.) Score the fish-skin side with a very sharp knife to cut ¼ inch slits into the fish. Be careful not to cut into the fish too deep. This is so the marinade can evenly penetrate the fish through the skin. Coat the fish in the marinade and then place the fillets skin side up so the flesh in sitting in the marinade. Let stand in the refrigerator for at-least 60 minutes, but not longer than 90 minutes.

While the fish is marinating...cook your yams. Place the yams with the skins intact in a large sauce pot with enough water to cover. Set the yams on the stove over medium –high flame and bring to a boil. (Cook the yams until they very tender, being careful not to overcook the yams as they will break down easily if they are overcooked.)  The yams should take about 45 minutes to cook through. While the yams are gently boiling; place the butter, honey, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and white pepper in large mixing bowl and set to the side until yams are done.

So your fish and yams are going... let's make the salsa for the fish! Combined the cilantro, green onions, red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, mangoes, figs, diced papaya, strawberries, pineapple sections, and chile in a medium mixing bowl with the juice and zest of one lime, canola oil, and the cane syrup. Mix up these ingredients very well and keep cold until ready to use. (The salsa should be allowed to infuse its flavors for at-least 15 minutes before using. It holds well in the refrigerator for six hours.)

Okay....now, let's make the remoulade really quick! Place mayonnaise, capers, garlic, onions, relish, mustard, NouvoSoul's Cajun Seasoning, apple cider, orange juice and Tabasco sauce in a mixing bowl and hand whip the sauce with a wire whisk for about a minute or two. Store the sauce in the refrigerator until needed.

(This sauce can be made a day ahead of time. It holds well in the refrigerator for two weeks. If you don't want to make NouvoSoul's Cajun seasoning, store brought Cajun seasoning will work just fine for this recipe.)

Back to the yams.....Pour off the water and carefully peel the yams of their skin using a towel, while they are still very hot. Be careful not to burn your hands. Place the hot peeled yams into the bowl with the butter, sugar, etc. and wrap the bowl and wrap with plastic then let stand for five minutes. After the yams have rested, mash the yams until all the ingredients are well combined. The yams should be thick and smooth. Keep warm and allow to rest until ready to plate up.

While the yams are resting...place a cast iron fry pan on low flames with a good quality olive oil, using just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.  Take fish out of the marinade and gently coat the fish with NouvoSoul's Cajun Seasoning and place skin side down first in the frying pan. Cook fish for three to four minutes then flip the fish and finish cooking the skin side up for an additional five to six minutes. Remove fish and set aside, keeping the fish warm, until you are ready for plate up.

Grab four large dinner plates...

In the center of each plate mount a good large spoonful of yams. Place fish fillet atop the yams and then top each fillet with a good amount of fruit salsa! Serve the remoulade sauce in small ramekins and orange slices on the plate. I love to serve this meal with a side salad of fresh farm greens.....Enjoy!  

Chef Mookie Hicks