-
1
Make the Epis
10 Mins
No heat
Put the parsley, scallions, garlic, half the bell pepper, thyme, lime juice and half the olive oil in a blender and pulse to a coarse green paste, scraping down the sides once or twice. This is your epis — it should look like a rough pesto, not a smooth sauce.
A coarse paste clings to the fish better than a thin liquid, so stop blending while it still has texture.
Done when: A fragrant green paste, flecked with herbs and pepper.
-
2
Clean & Marinate the Fish
20 Mins Rest
No heat
Rinse the snapper steaks under cold water and rub them with lime juice, then pat dry. Score each steak twice on both sides, rub half the epis all over the fish and into the scores, and leave to marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the vegetables.
Lime in the marinade is the Haitian way of cleaning fish — it freshens the flavour and helps the seasoning stick.
Done when: Every steak coated green with epis, resting in the bowl.
-
3
Build the Broth
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, tomato and remaining bell pepper for 5 minutes until soft, then stir in the rest of the epis and cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in 1 litre of water and the salt, and bring to a gentle boil.
Cooking the epis in the pot before adding water deepens the broth — raw epis tastes sharp, fried epis tastes round.
Done when: A fragrant, lightly golden broth at a gentle boil.
-
4
Simmer the Roots
20 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Add the potato, carrot and malanga to the pot, lower the heat to a lazy simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the roots are almost tender when pierced with a knife. Keep the simmer gentle — a rolling boil clouds the broth and breaks the roots.
Cut the roots in even chunks so they all finish at the same time; malanga takes the longest, so it goes in first.
Done when: Roots nearly tender, broth turning golden from the epis and tomato.
-
5
Poach the Fish
12 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Lay the marinated snapper steaks gently into the pot, tuck the whole Scotch bonnet in beside them, and poach for 10–12 minutes without stirring hard, until the fish flakes easily and reaches 63°C (145°F) at its thickest part. Spoon broth over the steaks once or twice as they cook.
Leave the Scotch bonnet whole for gentle warmth you can lift out; chop it only if you want real fire.
Done when: Fish opaque and flaking at the edges, roots tender, broth fragrant.
-
6
Rest & Serve
3 Mins
No heat
Take the pot off the heat and rest for 3 minutes. Lift out the Scotch bonnet, taste the broth and adjust with salt or a squeeze of lime. Ladle into deep bowls with one steak and plenty of roots in each, and serve with crusty bread.
The short rest lets the fish settle so it does not break when you ladle it out.
Done when: A steaming bowl of golden broth, whole fish and tender roots.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Lift the Scotch bonnet out before serving, taste the broth and add salt or lime, then ladle into deep bowls with a steak and plenty of roots in each.
Haiti
2h 10m
