Here’s the closest facsimile of the recipe for the barracuda we had that night in Tobago. Use whatever good citrus and/or tropical fruits you can get your hands on. Also note that you can serve the fruit on top of the fish, or arrange the fish on a bed of the fruit—it’s all good. This preparation is a winner with many other kinds of fish, too: swordfish steaks, grilled rare ahi, any fish you find extremely fresh at the seafood market.
SERVES 6
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian spices (mixed oregano, rosemary, basil, thyme, marjoram, sage, or garlic powder)
¼ cup minced fresh garlic, divided
2½-pound piece of barracuda or ahi
1 white guava, peeled and chopped, or ½ cup chopped pineapple
Fruit from 1 yellow passionfruit, or 2 or 3 chopped kiwis
½ cup small orange sections
½ cup chopped papaya
½ cup pink grapefruit sections 2 tablespoons minced ginger
Prepare the fish: In a medium bowl, stir together vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, parmesan, Italian spices, and most of the garlic, reserving a couple of teaspoons of garlic for later. Pour mixture over fish in a glass bowl or freezer bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes at most, turning once.
Light a charcoal grill and bring to medium-low to medium heat or preheat a gas grill to 300°F to 350°F. While the grill is warming up, sauté reserved garlic in a small pan for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Once the grill is hot, cook marinated fish on grill to sear the outside; inside of fish should be rare.
While the fish cooks, combine guava, passionfruit, orange, papaya, grapefruit, and ginger in a medium bowl and mix well. Arrange fruit on a serving platter.
When the fish is done, slice into 6 fillets, arrange atop the fruit, and sprinkle with sautéed minced garlic. Alternatively, you can put the fish on the platter first and top with the fruit.