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Bahamas · Mutton Snapper

Bahamian Boil Fish

Boil Fish

A clear, lime-sharp fish soup with potatoes and onions that Bahamians eat for breakfast, usually with a thick slice of johnnycake to dip in the broth.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Gerda Arendt · CC0
Served with: Bahamian Johnny Cake ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the broth

Method

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

  1. Souse the fish. Toss the snapper with two-thirds of the lime juice, the salt and the hot pepper. Let it sit 15 minutes.
  2. Start the broth. Bring the water to a boil with the potatoes, thyme and bay leaves. Cook 10 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender.
  3. Add the onion. Add the onion, celery and butter and simmer 5 minutes.
  4. Cook the fish. Slide in the fish with its lime and pepper. Simmer gently, without stirring, 8–10 minutes until the fish is just cooked through.
  5. Serve. Season with salt, pepper and the rest of the lime juice. Ladle into bowls with the potatoes and serve with johnnycake and hot sauce.

On the side

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

The Bahamas

Bahamian Johnny Cake

Johnny Cake

A soft, buttery, slightly sweet pan bread baked in a skillet or square pan. Bahamians cut it in thick slices to go with stew fish and fried snapper.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 35 min
  • Serves 8
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup cold butter, cubed, plus more for the pan
  • 1 cup milk (about)

How to make it

  1. Mix the dry. Heat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and butter a 9-inch (23 cm) skillet or square pan. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  2. Rub in the butter. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it looks like coarse crumbs.
  3. Make the dough. Stir in the milk a little at a time to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead it 3–4 times, just to bring it together.
  4. Bake. Pat the dough into the pan and bake 30–35 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and cut into squares or wedges.

Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY-SA 4.0

More ways to cook Mutton Snapper

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

CubaCuban Baked Stuffed Snapper
Bahia, BrazilGrilled Snapper with Passion Fruit Sauce
Chorrillos, Lima, PeruPeruvian Fish a la Chorrillana