Capitaine Braisé — Print Recipe

Whole Nile perch marinated in citrus and spices, then pan-seared and braised in a tomato-onion sauce, a prestigious dish served at celebrations.

Ingredients

1 Score the fish on both sides with diagonal cuts. Rub with lemon juice, salt, white pepper, paprika, and minced garlic. Marinate for thirty minutes.
2 Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the fish for four minutes per side until a golden crust forms. Remove and set aside.
3 In the same skillet, sauté sliced onions until golden. Add sliced tomatoes and chilli peppers, cook for ten minutes until saucy.
4 Return the fish to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the top of the fish.
5 Cover tightly and braise on low heat for twenty-five minutes, basting occasionally, until the fish flakes easily.
6 Transfer to a serving platter, pour sauce over the top, garnish with parsley, and serve with fried plantains.

Did You Know?

Capitaine is the French colonial name for Nile perch, and braising it became a marker of culinary prestige.