Be wary, it’s Friday the 13th. Hopefully a friendly get-together is in your future. Docktail parties are huge in marinas. “Bring a drink. Bring an appetizer! Bring a seat (of sorts) to the end of E Dock! Sunday night. See you there!” You’ve been there, right? Check out your icebox and what do you find? Your catch (of sorts, again). More times than not, we catch just enough fish for…say…one person. Seldom enough to feed a crowd.  Well here is a little appetizer that spreads one or two fish filets a LONG way! Thank you, once again, Tim! He comes through with another fresh caught rockfish as he did last year. So I turned them into crowd-pleasing Rockfish Bites, submerged in island spices like ginger, lemongrass, garlic and hot peppers. They have a real kick so one bite is all you need!

Rockfish Bites

For a print friendly recipe see below

Double this recipe if desired

1 rockfish filet
2 tablespoons Canola oil
2 Belgian Endives (need about 12 leaves)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 Habañero (scotch bonnet) peppers, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons minced lemon grass
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons sugar

Garnish with:
Minced scallions
Minced Habeñeros
Minced fresh mint

Slice the lemon grass into thin thin rings. Cut the habañeros in half, careful not to touch the inside of the peppers with your bare hands. (Best advice is to use gloves) Seed the peppers and sliver the peppers into the tiniest strip you can get them into.

Zest the limes until you get 2 teaspoons of lime zest. Keep the naked limes; you will need the juice.

Mince the garlic and ginger. Then combine all the spices into one pile (a Ulu works great here) and continue mincing until very fine. Set aside.

Salt and pepper the fish filet(s) and dust with flour. Heat the Canola oil in a large sauté pan until very hot. Sauté the fish on one side for 4-5 minutes. Gently turn over and sauté the other side for another 4 minutes until golden.

Remove from the pan, and lay on a paper towel to absorb the oil.

In the same pan, with the remaining oil, sauté the minced garlic, ginger pepper, zest and lemongrass for 2 minutes until aromatic.

Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and sugar. Add a squeeze of half a lime. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Slice the fish filet into “fingers” about 1/2 inch wide by 2-3″ long.

Tear off 12-18 of the largest Belgian Endive leaves and place on a platter.

Place a spoonful of sauce into each leaf.

Place a piece of fish on top of the sauce.

Squeeze a little lime on top. Garnish with minced scallions, Habańeros and fresh mint. These can be served warm or at room temperature. Enjoy your bad luck Friday!