Jamaican Ital Steamed Fish Head with Okra

Are you giving up anything for Lent?  It seems like things have changed so much over the years and no one even knows when Lent begins especially in a Muslim country as Ash Wednesday is certainly not a holiday in these parts.  To the contrary, Easter is a holy period highlighting Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday and even a full Easter Break from school.

It is customary for Christians to fast for 40 days and 40 nights, giving up the things they hold dearest as penance whilst reflecting on their spiritual lives and the ultimate sacrifice of the Messiah. This is the time for the purging of the body, mind and spirit, a total detox and follows the indulgence and revelry of carnival in places like Trinidad and Tobago and Brazil.

Back home in Jamaica, we eat a lot of fish during Lent as many give up meat and poultry for the period.  Here’s is one of my mother’s favourite fish dishes as promised when we last posted her Jamaican Style Coconut Quinoa. This recipe makes great use of the heads of larger fish, but if you are not so keen on the heads, by all means use the steak cuts from the same large fish though you will be missing out an all the gelatinous goodness that oozes out of the bony heads.

Print

Jamaican Steamed Fish Head

Every bought a large fish and don't know what to do with it? Back home in Jamaica, we eat a lot of fish during Lent as many give up meat and poultry for the period. Here’s is one of my mother’s favourite fish dishes as promised when we last posted her Jamaican Style Coconut Quinoa. This recipe makes great use of the heads of larger fish, but if you are not so keen on the heads, by all means use the steak cuts from the same large fish though you will be missing out an all the gelatinous goodness that oozes out of the bony heads.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Keyword budget meals, diabetic friendly, jamaican, keto, ketogenic, low carb, one pot meal, paleo, seafood

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 3

Author Kari Heron | www.chefandsteward.com

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pot or any low casserole or rondeau pot... butter the surface of the pan 

2. Place fish and leave space between each piece. Add butter. Why so much? Because life is simply better with butter. Real butter.

3. Add ingredients to cover the fish. Turn on heat on low flame. Cover and cook on low heat until cooked. About 15-20 minutes depending on size and amount of fish.
4. Serve with our comforting Jamaican style coconut quinoa or rice or enjoy on its own as a scrumptious low carb, gluten-free, paleo meal.

Have you ever eaten the head of a fish? Tell us how you feel about it!