Sliced kingfish with onion rings, hot peppers and pimento. - Contributed

Following the Christian tradition, many Jamaicans put aside all red meat and opt for a diet of fish and chicken. From now until Holy Thursday, Food will share with you 40 different fish and seafood recipes to make the process easier for you.

Actually, if you think about it, the sea is abundant with bounty and each variety of seafood can be prepared in any number of ways. Take shrimp, from curry to deep fried, you could prepare shrimp seven days of the week and not be bored. From fritters to roasted with yellow yam, salt fish is also versatile. And a fat juicy hog snapper is yummy either steamed or foil wrapped and baked after being stuffed with callaloo or okra! So, take up the fish challenge and forget about red meat and poultry during Lent.

If you have a favourite way to prepare fish, why not send us your recipe or send us your favourite recipe for any dish to our weekly 'Recipe Corner' series. We will publish them.

Fish Coubouillon (Dominica)

Ingredients

2lb (908g) fish

1 hot pepper, chopped

Juice of two limes

2 blades of chive, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2oz (56g) margarine

1tbs flour

Method

1. Clean the fish and marinate in a mixture of 1/2 pint (280ml) water, salt, chopped hot pepper and the juice of one lime. Leave for two hours.

2. Lightly cook the chopped chives and crushed garlic in the oil and margarine.

3. Add the fish with the seasoned liquid and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes.

4. Blend the four with two tablespoons water and add to the liquid.

5. Add the remaining lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6. (Pg 159 of An Adventure in Caribbean Cuisine from the Caribbean Association of Home Economics).

Sweet salt fish cakes(Guyana)

Ingredients

11/2lb (681g) half-ripe plantain

1lb (454g) salt fish

1oz (28g) margarine

2tbs mustard

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 eggs

8oz (227g) breadcrumbs or biscuit crumbs

1 pint (560m) vegetable oil

Method

1. Peel the plantains.

2. Boil the salt fish and plantains separately and drain.

3. Mash the plantains with the margarine. Flake the salt fish.

4. Add the salt fish to the mashed plantain, then combine with the mustard, garlic, onion and 1 egg.

5. Mix well and form into cakes.

6. Heat the oil.

7. Beat the remaining eggs. Coat the fish cakes in beaten egg and crumbs and fry in the hot oil until brown.

Drain and serve.

3. Conch fritters (St Kitts and Nevis)

Ingredients

1lb (454g) conch meat

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 celery stalks

1/2 red pepper

1/2 green pepper

1/2oz (14g) seasoned salt

1/2oz garlic powder

1 egg

5tbs cornmeal

5tbs self-rising flour

1tsp baking powder

4tbs buttermilk

A dash of hot pepper sauce

1 pint (560ml) vegetable oil

Method

1. Put the conch through a food grinder or food processor with the onions, celery and red and green peppers.

2. Add the salt, garlic powder, egg and mix well.

3. Mix the cornmeal, flour and baking powder and add to the conch mixture.

4. Add the buttermilk and hot sauce.

5. Heat the oil to 350F.

6 Drop the mixture by heaped tablespoon into the oil and fry until light brown. Drain and serve.

Serves 15

Escoveitched fish

Ingredients

3lb (1.36kg) fish, sliced in 1/2 inch (1cm) thick slices

2 or 3 limes or lemons

4tsp black pepper and salt combined

1/4 pint (140ml) oil

1 pint (560ml) cane or malt vinegar (white or brown)

2 large onions, sliced

1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, cut in strips, or 1/2 tsp dried Tabasco pepper

1tsp pimento seeds or whole all spice

1/2tsp whole black peppercorns

Method

1. Wash the fish in water to which the juice of the limes or lemon has been added. Dry thoroughly

2. When absolutely dry, coat the fish on both sides with the combined salt and black pepper and set aside on paper towels.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan to boiling point and fry the fish on both sides until crisp. Set the fish aside in a deep dish.

4. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sliced onions, pepper, pimento seeds

5. Remove from the heat and cool.

6. Pour over the fish and leave steeping overnight.

Serves 6

Recommended fish to use: snapper, jack, cutlass, sprat, goat fish. If using sprat or goat fish, leave the fish whole.

Modern Caribbean Cuisine by Wendy Rahamut.

5. Bene-crustedShrimp Balls

Ingredients

1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

2tbs cornstarch

1tbs soy sauce

2tbs minced chives

2 garlic gloves, minced

1 inch piece of ginger

1/2tsp sesame oil

1/2 cup water chestnuts

1/2 cup flour

1/2tsp white pepper

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup Bene or sesame seeds

vegetable oil for deep frying

Method

1. In a food processor combine the shrimp, cornstarch, soy sauce, chives, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste.

2. Process to a smooth texture then add the chestnuts and process just until they are chopped. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning.

3. Form the shrimp mixture into 1 inch balls

4. Mix the flour and pepper. Dredge the shrimp balls in flour, then dip in the egg and roll in the Bene or sesame seeds to coat

Deep fry until golden

Makes about 15-20

6. Bake or Fry crab n' Cassava Cakes

Ingredients12 oz cassava peeled

12 oz crab meat, picked over

1 cup grated red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (chandon beni)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp pepper sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

4 tbs fresh lime juice

salt

Vegetable oil for frying

Ginger orange dip

1/2 cup good quality English marmalade

2 tbs Chinese chilli sauce

1/2 tsp grated ginger

2 tbs rice vinegar

Combine all the ingredients and stir. Makes about 1/4 cup

Method

1. Grate the cassava very finely. This will release some of the starchy juices, which will help the mixture to bind. Combine the cassava with all the remaining ingredients except the oil and mix well.

2. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan.

3. With your hands, form the cassava mixture into cakes about 2-3 inches in diameter. Gently pan fry until golden and cooked through on each side. Drain.

Serve with ginger orange dip.

Makes 12-15.