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Martinique · Parrotfish

French Antilles Fish Blaff

Blaff de Poisson

Blaff is named for the splash the fish makes when it drops into the pot. In Martinique it’s a clear, lime-bright broth of thyme, chives, allspice and hot pepper that lets fresh fish shine.

  • Prep 20 min + 1 hr marinating
  • Cook 20 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Pierre.hamelin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Served with: French Antilles Rice and Red Beans ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the marinade

For the broth

Method

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

  1. Marinate. Mix the lime juice, crushed garlic, sliced hot pepper, salt and water in a bowl. Add the fish and refrigerate 1 hour, turning once.
  2. Make the broth. Bring the water to a boil with the onion, chives, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, allspice, cloves, whole pepper and salt. Boil 5 minutes.
  3. Drop in the fish. Lift the fish out of the marinade and drop it into the boiling broth, along with ½ cup of the marinade. Lower the heat and simmer 8–10 minutes until just cooked.
  4. Finish. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the fresh lime juice and the grated raw garlic. Taste for salt.
  5. Serve. Serve in shallow bowls with plenty of broth, white rice or riz et pois rouges, and slices of hot pepper on the side.

On the side

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

Martinique & Guadeloupe

French Antilles Rice and Red Beans

Riz et Pois Rouges

The everyday rice of Martinique and Guadeloupe, flavored with cives, thyme and a whole hot pepper. It sits next to every court-bouillon de poisson on Sunday.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 35 min
  • Serves 6
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained, liquid saved
  • 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 scallions (cives), chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper
  • 2¾ cups liquid: the bean liquid plus water
  • 1 tsp salt

How to make it

  1. Soften the aromatics. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and cook the onion and scallions for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme for 1 minute.
  2. Add the beans. Stir in the beans and cook 2 minutes so they take up the flavor.
  3. Add rice and liquid. Add the rice, the liquid and the salt, and lay the whole pepper on top. Bring to a boil.
  4. Cook covered. Cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes. Rest 5 minutes, remove the pepper and thyme stems, and fluff.

Photo: philozopher · CC BY-SA 2.0

More ways to cook Parrotfish

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Samaná, Dominican RepublicSamaná Fish in Coconut Sauce
Hellshire Beach, JamaicaJamaican Steamed Parrotfish
São Miguel, Azores, PortugalAzorean Oven-Roasted Parrotfish