In the Caribbean, many celebrate the pre-Lenten season with various festivities. With Catholicism being the dominant religion in the Caribbean, Lent is widely observed on the islands. In Trinidad, the pre-Lenten season is celebrated with weeks of fetes (or parties), culminating with Carnival, our largest festival of the year. After the revelries of our world-renowned Carnival come to an end, Lent begins. Lasting 40 days, Lent is a season of reflection, penance and fasting, leading up to Easter. Of course, in the Caribbean, the abstinence of red meat on the Fridays during Lent means more enjoyment of freshly caught seafood for locals.
In Trinidad, local fish such as fresh carite, king fish, flying fish and red snapper are a popular choice for many throughout the year, but are especially enjoyed during the Lenten season.
Below is one of our most popular Lenten recipes that can be enjoyed during this season and throughout the year:
Grilled Red Snapper with a Pepper and Caper Salsa
Ingredients:
8 oz. red snapper filet
2 medium red bell peppers
3 oz. capers (rinsed and drained)
2 cups arugula
1 oz. minced garlic
1 oz. cilantro
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Method:
Salsa
Heat pan over medium-high heat and grill the peppers on all sides until charred
Place the charred peppers in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water and cover the bowl with plastic wrap for 30 minutes.
Remove the charred skin, core and seeds from the peppers.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, capers and cilantro; add the peppers.
Season the salsa with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Snapper
Brush both sides of the snapper with olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper.
Once the grill is hot, place the filet directly on the grill and cook about 3 ½ minutes on each side.
Arrange the fish on a dinner plate and top with salsa and arugula leaves. Enjoy!
This recipe was submitted by the Hyatt Regency Trinidad’s executive chef Fernando Franco and his team, who are members of the 2016 ‘Caribbean National Team of the Year’ at Taste of the Caribbean in Miami.