Poisson Braise (Braised Fish)
Whole tilapia marinated in a mixture of tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers, mango cubes, onions, lime, garlic and oil, then grilled over charcoal and served alongside a simmered sauce made from the marinade.

Ingredients
4 tilapia, whole fish, gutted and descaled
12 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 cups mango puree
2 cups yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp habanero pepper, seeds removed, minced
1 cube chicken bouillon
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil, divided
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup black pepper, fine ground
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups red bell pepper, julienned
2 cups DOLE Chef-Ready Cuts Mango Cubes
¾ cups pine nuts
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, minced
Directions
- Wash fish, then cut thin slices throughout the bodies so they will absorb the marinade. Set aside.
- In a blender, puree garlic, basil, mango puree, onion, habanero pepper, bouillon, mustard and ½ cup of the oil.
- Rub your fish with salt and pepper, making sure to get it into the cuts made on the fish. Combine fish with half the marinade in a plastic bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Turn occasionally so marinade gets drawn into the cuts on the fish for uniform flavor.
- In a small saucepot, cook remaining (unused) marinade over medium heat for roughly 10 minutes, stirring regularly. This sauce should be very thick, a medium nape.
- In a separate pan, sauté bell peppers, mango cubes and pine nuts in butter until tender and aromatic. Toss with parsley and set aside for service.
- Preheat oven on the broiler setting. Remove fish from bag and discard marinade. Brush a wire rack over a sheet pan with 3 tablespoons oil so fish doesn't stick while cooking. Set fish on rack and cook until done, 10 to 15 minutes per side (depending on size of fish), turning 2 to 3 times and brushing each side while it cooks with oil.
- o serve, put fish on a large, wide plate, decorate with bell peppers. Serve with warmed dipping sauce on the side and with optional fried sweet plantains.