NIGERIA
Here is a lovely Nigerian recipe for a spicy marinade that is used to marinate fish, then cooked and served as a sauce to go with either grilled or fried fish.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2¼ pounds (1 kg) whitefish steaks
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
FOR THE MARINADE
Juice of 2 lemons
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
6 medium onions (2 pounds/900 g total), halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges
White rice, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving
1. Pat the fish steaks dry with paper towels and rub with a little salt. Grind a little pepper over the steaks and let sit while you prepare the marinade.
2. To make the marinade: Whisk the lemon juice, oil, garlic, mustard, paprika, and pepper flakes together in a large bowl. Add the sliced onions and mix well.
3. Add the fish to the marinade and mix well to coat the fish all over with the marinade. Let marinate, covered, for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, in the refrigerator.
4. Remove the fish from the marinade and place on a large platter. Transfer the marinade to a large deep skillet and place over low heat. Cook, stirring regularly, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the onion is completely softened and caramelized to a golden brown color. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) water halfway through so that the onion softens completely before starting to caramelize.
5. Now you have three choices as to how to cook the fish steaks: grilled or broiled—in which case prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high—or pan-fried. Whichever method you use, cook the fish until done to your liking.
6. Slip the cooked fish into the skillet of marinade and cook for a couple of minutes to allow the fish to absorb the flavor of the onion. Serve hot with plain rice, together with lemon wedges and more pepper flakes for those who want their fish spicier.