Sea to Plate – Catch of the Day
Sea to Plate – Serving the Catch of the Day
Staying at a boutique resort in a small fishing village has its benefits. Especially when you want fish for dinner. We are fortunate that we have access to all kinds of fresh seafood.
Today’s Catch from the Spear Fishermen
When they go out on their boats in the mornings we put in our order. Sometimes we get small fish for Escovitch fish. Other times we can buy a few pounds of kingfish or Bonita fillets. We have been fortunate to have the spear fishermen swimming past our pad on the rocks and returning with a line full of fresh fish or lobster for us to buy. This is as fresh as it gets.
Watching the early morning fisherman from one of the private balconies.
The only time we haven’t had fresh fish caught locally, are those days when the sea is not cooperating and the fishermen haven’t been able to go out due to the rough water. When we can’t get it locally we travel a few kilometres to Negril or Sav-la-Mar, where the seas may have been cooperating and we are still able to buy fresh fish. Even if our local boats are not successful, we are able to find the catch of the day.
Buying fish at the Sav-la-Mar fish market
When the local boats go out in the morning, it is always fun to go sit on the rock pad and watch them pull their traps. A few of the boats come in close and you are able to see what they catch. In fact, if you are lucky, you can even ‘catch lobster’ right off the rocks. It takes a bit of talent but after the first catch, you’ll get the feel for it.
Sitting back waiting to ‘catch some lobster’
You may be sitting there and someone will walk by with a sack full of whelks. This is your lucky day. If you like escargot, then whelks prepared in garlic butter is a delicious substitute.
Villa Jewel Resort has no problem organizing a fishing trip with one of our local fishermen. You will learn to catch fish Jamaican style and get an authentic Jamaican experience. Bring home your catch of the day for the chef to prepare. You can bring back the catch of the day.
Bring back the Catch of the Day for dinner
Some of the excellent fish dishes prepared at Villa Jewel Resort are
- Escovitch snapper with spicy vegetableS
- grilled king fish fillet
- grilled Caribbean lobster
- conch fritters or conch soup
- fish tea soup
- grilled Bonita fillets
- curried crab
- Ackee and saltfish
- grilled shrimp skewers
- pan fried whole fish over the open fire
- lobster or crab pasta salad
- steamed fish
- stewed, grilled, fried or deep fried octopus
- boiled land crab bake
- whelks prepared in soup or with garlic butter .
Hungry for seafood yet ?! The chef will prepare the fish and seafood any way you like it.
‘Give a man a fish and he has food for the day; teach him to fish and you can get rid of him for the entire weekend.’ – Zenna Schaffer
Gone fishin’
Baba