Let’s create a dish that can accommodate 4 people, perfect for both lunch and dinner. What we’re making is a highly salivated sea bass prepared with an irresistible jerk marinade.
Begin with 2-4 well cleaned and scaled whole sea bass, which should weigh between 700g to 1kg. For the marinade, we’d need 4 tablespoons of either olive or grapeseed oil, 4 minced cloves of garlic, a bunch of chopped green onions and 2 or 3 minced Scotch Bonnet peppers, after their seeds have been removed. We’ll add to that, 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, chopped, along with an equal amount of ground allspice. Adding a bit of warmth is half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Intensifying these flavours are the additions of a tablespoon each of soy sauce and brown sugar. Squeeze in the juice of one lime and season according to taste with salt and pepper.
The sea bass should be rinsed with cold water and dried properly. Giving it a couple of slashes diagonally on each side allows the marinade to really flavour the fish.
For the jerk marinade, you’d want to combine all the prepared ingredients in a bowl. Once the marinade is ready, apply it generously to the exterior and interior of the fish. To really get the flavours going, cover it up and let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
You’re going to want to fire up the grill for this one. Light up some charcoal and when it’s ready, arrange the coals for a medium-hot fire. Brush the grill grate with oil and let it heat up to about 200-220 degrees.
Now, let’s grill the sea bass. Position the fish on the grill over medium heat, and let it cook for 4-8 minutes on each side, making allowances for size. You’ll know it’s ready when the fish becomes easy to flake and the internal temperature hits 62 degrees. Remember to flip the fish just once to keep the skin intact.
Finally, using a fish spatula, gently lift the fish off the grill and transfer onto a platter. Squeeze over a little extra lime for serving.
Not forgetting some friendly advice: To avoid having the fish stuck, make sure the grill is hot and has been oiled well. Don’t be too eager to flip the fish, let it naturally detach from the grill. For best results, the flesh should appear opaque and the eyes, white. Enjoy your meal.