Thieboudienne (Senegalese Fish and Rice)
Senegal's national dish of tomato-braised fish and vegetables slow-cooked with broken rice that absorbs all the savory juices. Plan ahead: allow 30 minutes for stuffing and marinating the fish before cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs firm white fish steaks (such as red snapper, tilapia, or sea bass)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), finely chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced
- 6 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes (canned)
- 6 cups fish stock or clam juice
- 3 cups broken jasmine rice (or regular jasmine rice), rinsed
- 1 lb cassava (yuca), peeled and chunked (or russet potato), peeled, chunked
- 1/2 head green cabbage, wedged
- 4 carrots, halved lengthwise
- 2 Japanese eggplant, halved
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
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1
Make a stuffing paste: mix half of the 6 garlic cloves, half of the 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, the 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), 2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper together. Cut deep pockets into each 3 lbs firm white fish steaks (such as red snapper, tilapia, or sea bass) steak and stuff with the paste. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
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2
Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Sear the stuffed firm white fish steaks (such as red snapper, tilapia, or sea bass) on both sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
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3
In the same pot, add the 2 sliced large yellow onions and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add remaining garlic cloves and cook 1 minute more.
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4
Stir in 6 tbsp tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until it darkens slightly. Add 2 cups crushed tomatoes (canned) and cook another 5 minutes.
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5
Pour in 6 cups fish stock or clam juice and bring to a boil. Add 1 lb peeled, chunked cassava (yuca), peeled and chunked (or russet potato) and 4 halved lengthwise carrots and simmer for 15 minutes.
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6
Add 1/2 head wedged green cabbage and 2 halved Japanese eggplant. Return the firm white fish steaks (such as red snapper, tilapia, or sea bass) to the pot. Simmer until fish reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) and vegetables are tender, about 10 more minutes.
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7
Remove the fish and all vegetables carefully and set aside. Skim excess oil if desired.
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8
Measure the remaining broth in the pot. You need about 1.5x the volume of 3 cups rinsed broken jasmine rice (or regular jasmine rice). Add water or stock as needed. Bring to a boil, then stir in the rice.
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9
Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook until rice has absorbed all liquid and is tender, about 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes off heat.
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10
Serve the rice on a large platter topped with the fish and surrounded by the vegetables. Garnish with remaining fresh flat-leaf parsley.