Here's a simple yet delicious poached fish dish typically served in the Caribbean. Fresh herbs work best in this recipe, but dried herbs will work if that's what you have on hand. Also, you can substitute striped bass in this recipe.

Ingredients

• For The Fish
• 1 large onion (peeled and sliced)
• 1 garlic clove (peeled and crushed)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 sprig fresh celery leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 6 peppercorns
• 1/2 cup lime juice (fresh if possible)
• 4 quarts (one gallon) of water
• 5 pound red snapper with head and tail left on (scaled and cleaned)
• For The Avocado Sauce
• 2 large avocados
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh if possible)
• 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes

• Total Time: 75 minutes
• Yield: 5 to 6 servings

Preparation

Cook the Fish

Place the onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, celery leaves, parsley, peppercorns and lime juice in a large sauce pot. Add the water and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat to bring it down to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the mixture to cool down.

Meanwhile, wash the fish and then pat it dry. Wrap the fish in a long, double wrapped, piece of cheesecloth.

Lay the fish in a fish poacher. If you don't have one, you can lay the fish in a roasting pan large enough to accommodate it with the ends of the cheese cloth hanging over the ends. If the pan has handles, tie the cheesecloth to the handles. If you don't have handles, leave the ends hanging for now.

Pour the poaching liquid into the pan to cover the fish by about an inch. If you don't have enough poaching liquid, just add enough water to get what you need. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.

Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. If you have hanging ends of cheesecloth, go ahead and flip them up onto the cover while the fish is cooking. Simmer for about half an hour until the thickest part of the fish is firm when pressed with your finger.

When the fish is cooked to your liking, use the ends of the cheesecloth to lift the fish out of the poaching liquid and lay it on a large cutting board.

Gently open the cheesecloth and peel off the skin from one side. Cover the fish back up and use the cheesecloth to lightly flip the fish over onto a serving platter and peel the skin from the other side of the fish.

Discard the cheesecloth.

Make Avocado Sauce

Peel the avocados, take the pits out, and then remove the flesh to a bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork and then add the lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Mix together well. It should have the consistency of guacamole.

Serve Hot or Cold

When ready to eat, the fish it can be served hot with the avocado sauce on the side. Or serve the fish cold slathered with some of the avocado sauce and the rest of the sauce served separately. Some tasty garnishes include Spanish olives, cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes, parsley, micro greens or lime wedges.