SMOKED TILAPIA WITH PILI PILI

Smoked Tilapia With Pili Pili image

Provided by Food.com

Categories Tilapia

Time 1h20m

Yield 1 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 27

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2 teaspoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
fresh bay leaf
fresh parsley
dried rosemary, for smoking
dried thyme, for smoking
apple and cherry wood chips, soaked in water for 2 days and drained
picked fresh rosemary leaf
picked fresh thyme leave
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon spicy herb oil, recipe follows (Pili Pili)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 whole fresh tilapia fillet, cleaned and scored on both sides
dried bay leaf, for smoking
lemon pepper, for smoking
spicy herb oil, for serving, recipe follows (Pili Pili)
fried plantain, for serving
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 habanero peppers, stemmed but not seeded
6 garlic cloves
4 scallions, chopped
1 large tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Steps:

Tilapia:.
For the tilapia: Combine the tarragon, garlic, scallions, onions and some bay leaves, parsley, rosemary and thyme in a blender. Add the oil, lemon juice, Pili-Pili and salt and blend until it forms a paste, about 2 minutes. Put the fish in a deep dish and spread on the marinade, rubbing it all over. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, turning the fish about every 6 hours. Start a nice charcoal fire in your smoker to cook over indirect heat. Sprinkle some bay leaves, lemon pepper, rosemary and thyme over the fire. When the charcoal is red, add the soaked wood chips and get it smoking. Careful as the smoke will make you all cough.
Place the fish in the smoker and cook, checking the fish every 15 minutes until cooked through, about 45 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates and serve with Pili-Pili sauce and fried plantains. Bon appetit!
Pili-Pili:.
Combine the vinegar, salt, chiles, garlic, scallions, tomatoes and 1 tablespoon water in a blender and puree until smooth, about 3 minutes. Heat the oil in a pot, add the puree, and cook for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a jar or bowl.
You can eat it on anything, pizza, eggs, burgers, fish, meat, chicken, cassava, soup, spaghetti, tacos and more. It can also be used as a condiment, as a dip or a marinade.
Cook's Note: Never breathe the aroma of the Pili-Pili when cooking; cook it outside for safety.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 601, Fat 22.6, SaturatedFat 3.4, Cholesterol 62.5, Sodium 1299.7, Carbohydrate 71.9, Fiber 13.9, Sugar 33.5, Protein 39.2