JOIN! 12 Weeks for $1

Jamaican-Style Fish Stew

4 to 6 Servings

40 minutes

Made This Recipe? Write a Review.
Thank you for submitting your review! A member of our team is confirming the review meets our site's Community Guidelines. It will be posted on the site shortly.

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

Pardon the interruption

You need to be a Milk Street Digital Member to see the full recipe

JOIN MILK STREET DIGITAL & PRINT
12 WEEKS FOR JUST $1

and get access to all of our recipes and articles online, as well as in print.

GET DIGITAL & PRINT
How we use your email.

Your email address is required to identify your subscription. We will use it for customer service as well as other communications from Milk Street. We will not share, or rent your email address.

Reviews
Connie H.
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.
Laurel B.
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.
John J.
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.