Ingredients
2 1/2 pints red grouper, skin on, scaled and cut into 2- inch pieces (or substitute redfish, flounder, striped bass, escolar, or any other white-fleshed fish)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 to 3 fresh cayenne chiles, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
1/2 cup fish or chicken stock, or canned, low-sodium chicken broth, or water
2 teaspoons salt
One 14.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Steamed white rice, for serving
Preparation
Place the fish in a large nonreactive mixing bowl, add the lime juice, and set aside to marinate while you proceed with the recipe.
Heat a large saute pan over medium- high heat, and add the olive oil. Once it is hot, add the onions and cayenne peppers and saute, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stock, and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and stir well to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a boil. Season the fish with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Then add the fish (with the lime juice) and the coconut milk. Stir to combine, and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the flesh of the fish starts to flake, about 10 minutes.
Remove the cover, sprinkle the cilantro over the fish, and serve accompanied by steamed white rice.
