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Jamaica · Mountain Mullet

Jamaican Foil-Roasted Mountain Mullet

Roast Mountain Mullet

Along the Rio Grande in Portland, mountain mullet gets stuffed with okra, scallion and Scotch bonnet, wrapped in foil and roasted on the coals right beside the breadfruit.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 25 min
  • Serves 2–4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Adesolive · CC0
Served with: Roasted Breadfruit ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the stuffing

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Season the fish. Wash the fish with lime, then season inside and out with salt and black pepper.
  2. Mix the stuffing. Toss the okra, scallion, onion, tomato, Scotch bonnet, thyme and pimento together.
  3. Wrap. Lay each fish on a sheet of foil, pack the belly with stuffing and pile the rest on top. Add a tablespoon of butter and fold the foil into a tight parcel.
  4. Roast. Cook on a grill over hot coals, or in a 400 °F (200 °C) oven, for 20–25 minutes, until the fish flakes at the thickest part.
  5. Serve. Open the parcels at the table and serve with roasted breadfruit to soak up the buttery pepper juices.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Photo coming soon
Jamaica

Roasted Breadfruit

Roast Breadfruit

A whole breadfruit roasted in the coals until the skin is black and the inside is soft and smoky. Jamaicans eat it with escovitch fish and ackee and saltfish.

  • Prep 5 min
  • Cook 1 hr
  • Serves 6
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 1 mature breadfruit, firm, about 3 lb (1.4 kg)
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted (optional)
  • Salt to taste

How to make it

  1. Prepare. Cut a small X in the stem end. This lets steam out and helps you test it later.
  2. Roast. Set the breadfruit right on hot coals, a gas flame or a grill, turning every 10–15 minutes, for 45–60 minutes until the skin is charred all over. In the oven, roast at 400 °F (200 °C) for about 1 hour.
  3. Test. It is done when steam comes out of the stem end and a skewer slides in easily.
  4. Peel and slice. Let it cool 10 minutes, peel off the burnt skin, cut out the core and slice into wedges. Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt.

More ways to cook Mountain Mullet

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Jayuya, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican River Dajao, Fried Crisp
Samaná, Dominican RepublicDominican River Fish Stewed in Coconut
Florianópolis, BrazilBrazilian Grilled Mullet