Haitian Flounder
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients:
Flounder:
6 (6 oz.) flounder fillets
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 serrano chile, stemmed and chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Garnish:
chopped fresh parsley
hot cooked jasmine rice
lime wedges
Instructions:
Place the flounder fillets in a shallow dish and sprinkle evenly with the lime juice, 1/2 tsp. of salt and the 3 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley.
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to hold all fillets, then add the olive oil. Add the garlic and the next 3 ingredients, then saute for about 3 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Add the tomato, orange juice, remaining 1/2 tsp. of salt and the pepper and bring to a boil.
Add the fish fillets, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork.
Place the fish on serving plates and spoon the sauce evenly over the individual fillets. Garnish and serve with the jasmine rice and lime wedges.
Yields 6 servings.
Recipe from Coastal Living Magazine, January 2004.