Recipe courtesy of Cathy Tshilombo, Mama Africa, Tooele, UT
Ingredients: [‘fresh tarragon leaves’, ‘garlic cloves’, ‘scallions’, ‘onion’, ‘fresh bay leaf’, ‘fresh parsley’, ‘dried rosemary’, ‘dried thyme’, ‘wood chips’, ‘fresh rosemary leaf’, ‘fresh thyme leave’, ‘vegetable oil’, ‘lemon juice’, ‘herb oil’, ‘salt’, ’tilapia fillet’, ‘dried bay leaf’, ‘lemon pepper’, ‘herb oil’, ‘plantain’, ‘vinegar’, ‘salt’, ‘habanero peppers’, ‘garlic cloves’, ‘scallions’, ‘tomatoes’, ‘vegetable oil’]
Quantity of Ingredients: [“”,”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”]
Number of Servings: 1
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.”]