Lip-smacking lionfish

Once the fish is dead, the venom in the spine remains activated for up to an hour, so be cautious when handling the fish. The venom is only in the spines and not in the flesh.

"My recommended way of cleaning and handling the fish to cooks who intend to prepare the fish in a safe way that allows maximum yield is to:

1. Hold the fish in its eyes and approach it from the front (head-on). It is best to use a pair of food scissors but if not available, you may use a knife but be more careful with the knife.

2. Cut away the spiny fin on the back, cutting deep enough to root out the spines all the way to the back to totally remove the spines.

3. Remove the fins from both sides and the fins from the belly and fin from between the belly and tail, also clip the tail off.

4. Gut and scale the fish and wash with lime juice or vinegar and water. You may then choose to fillet the fish leaving the skin on, or if you choose you can leave the fish whole with or without the head for cooking, but in all cases of preparation be sure to remove all the fins."

Lion Fish Fillet with Zedalinis Gourmet Tamrind Sauce

Ingredients

5lbs Lion fish fillet

Fish seasoning to taste

Garlic, onion, escallion, thyme chopped to taste

Zedalinis Gourmet Spicy Tamrind Sauce

Method

1. Prepare lion fish prior to cooking by trimming and washing.

2. Sprinkle fish seasonings and chopped seasoning on fish, and then pour Zedalinis Tamrind Sauce over fish.

3. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. Grease grill with vegetable oil or food release spray (PAM Spray). Place fish on grill and cook until fish flakes. Fish may be turned.

4. Baste with Tamrind sauce while cooking. Remove from grill and serve with sweet potato or breadfruit.

Escoveitched Lion Fish

Ingredients

2lb lion fish

1tsp lemon juice

1 cup vinegar

1tsp sugar

2 onions, chopped

1tsp pimento(allspice)

1 cup carrots,chochos

¹/² cup cooking oil

¹/² tsp salt

1tsp black pepper

Method

1. Clean fish and sprinkle with lemon juice.

2. Season the fish with salt and black pepper.

3. Fry fish in cooking oil until both sides crisp. Set aside in a bowl.

4. Boil 1 cup of water in a sauce pan, combine it with vinegar and sugar.

5. Add carrots, chochoes, pimento, onion rings and hot pepper to taste.

6. Simmer until ingredients are tender, pour escoveitch sauce over fried fish, eat after sauce is allowed to marinate fish for at least five minutes.

Coconut Curry Steamed Lion Fish With Local Vegetables and Zedalinis Gourmet Mello Mango Sauce

Ingredients

2.5 lbs. lion fish whole or filleted

1 small onion

2 Stalks scallion

2oz butter

vegetable oil for cooking

vinegar

3 sprigs thyme

4 Cloves of garlic

¹/² cup coconut milk

Curry powder

Zedalinis Gourmet Mello Mango or Guava Sauce

Salt and black pepper to taste

5-10 grain of pimento

Chocho (peeled and cut)

Carrot (peeled and cut)

Scotch bonnet pepper

4-6 okras (stem removed)

Method

1. Wash fish with lime juice or vinegar and water.

2. Season fish.

3. Cut up all the vegetables.

4. Sauté onion, garlic, scallion, curry, thyme with oil or butter.

5. Add all the vegetables and continue to sauté.

6. Add the fish, pimento and scotch bonnet pepper and allow simmering with butter and coconut milk.

Serve with boiled dasheen, yam or boiled green bananas with Zedalinis Gourmet Mello Mango or Guava Sauce.