Entree: French Guiana – Central Culinary Region – Pimentade de Poisson (Fish in spicy pepper sauce)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 20 min

Total 35 min

Ingredients

- 4 firm white fish fillets, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each (snapper, mahi-mahi, or cod)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or sunflower)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 150 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 12 g)
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced (approx. 12 oz / 340 g)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 6 oz / 170 g)
- 2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, seeded and finely chopped (about 20 g) — adjust to heat tolerance
- 2 scallions, chopped (about 30 g)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) fish stock or water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) annatto (roucou) oil or 1 tsp (2 g) ground annatto
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan or shallow pot over medium heat. If using ground annatto, add it to a little oil to bloom and tint the oil orange; otherwise use annatto oil directly. Add the sliced onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, scallions, and thyme and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add diced tomatoes, red bell pepper, and chopped scotch bonnet peppers. Stir in tomato paste and cook 3–4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Pour in fish stock, add the bay leaf, and simmer gently 8–10 minutes to concentrate the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
3. Nestle the fish fillets into the simmering pimentade, spooning sauce over the tops. Cover and cook gently 6–8 minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes easily (time depends on thickness). Finish with lime juice and chopped cilantro, remove the bay leaf, and serve immediately with lime wedges.