Fish Yassa Recipes

POULET YASSA (CHICKEN YASSA) FROM AFRICA

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients (except the optional vegetables), the more onions the better, and allow chicken to marinate in a glass dish in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
• Remove chicken from the marinade, but save the marinade.
• Cook according to one of the following methods.
• Cooking method 1: Grill chicken over a charcoal fire (or bake it in a hot oven) until chicken is lightly browned but not done.
• Cooking method 2: Sauté chicken for a few minutes on each side in hot oil in a frypan.
• While chicken is browning: Remove onions from marinade and sauté them in a large saucepan for a few minutes.
• Add remaining marinade and the optional vegetables and bring to a slow boil, cooking the marinade into a sauce.
• Reduce heat.
• Add chicken to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is done.
• Serve with Rice, Couscous (couscous with chickpeas and raisins is very good), or Fufu.

POISSON YASSA (FISH YASSA)

Steps:

• If using whole fish:.
• Cut several slits in the side of the fish to allow it to better marinate.
• In a glass bowl or baking pan mix all ingredients (except the fish) to make a marinade.
• Place the fish in the marinade, covering both sides, and allow it to marinate an hour.
• Remove fish from the marinade, but save the marinade.
• Cook according to one of the following methods.
• Cooking method 1: Cook fish over an outdoor grill (or broil fish in a hot oven) until done. If grilling: a hinged wire basket made for holding fish on the grill is very useful.
• Cooking method 2: In a frypan, fry the fish on each side in hot oil until done.
• While fish is cooking: Pour the marinade into a saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the marinade thickens into a sauce.
• Place the fish over cooked rice on a serving dish and cover with sauce.

FISH YASSA

Steps:

• First you need to put all the ingredients except the fish in a large bowl and mix.
• Season the fish with some salt then add to the marinade above. Make sure the fish is all covered up in the marinade.
• Leave the fish to marinate for about an hour.
• After an hour, take the fish out and scrape off any bits from the marinade.
• Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep pan.
• Brown the fish fillets on both side about (3 minutes each side) and set aside.
• In the same pan (with the brown bits) add just the onions from the marinade without the liquid and fry/saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the rest of the juices from the marinade and about 100ml water, cover the pan and leave the onions to cook for about 10-15 minutes. You need the onions to still have a little bite and not completely soft.
• Add some salt seasoning if necessary then add the fish back to cook through.
• Serve with mashed potatoes , cous cous or rice.

CHICKPEAS WITH YASSA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Saute onions, habanero, and garlic in the hot oil until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until softened. Stir in chickpeas, carrots, olives, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, vegetable seasoning, pepper, and bay leaves.
• Reduce heat and let simmer until flavors have melded, 1 hour or more.

CHICKEN YASSA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the chicken legs with the scallions, thyme, vinegar, 1/4 cup lime juice and 1 tablespoon oil. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
• If using a grill or grill pan, heat it over high; if using a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. (If cooking indoors, pat the chicken dry, discarding marinade, then brush the chicken lightly with oil.) Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, grill or sear the chicken until browned on both sides, 6 or 7 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high. When the oil is hot, add the onions in an even layer, season with salt and pepper, and let sear without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir occasionally to prevent onions from burning at the bottom of the pot, and allow onions to cook until they start to caramelize and take on some color, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add the bell pepper, chile, garlic, ginger, bay leaves and the mustard (if using), and continue stirring, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as needed to avoid scorching at the bottom of the pot, another 5 minutes. Stir in another 1/4 cup lime juice, and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.
• Add the grilled chicken into the pot, tucking it under the onions, then top with 1 cup water. Stir well, smooth mixture gently into an even layer, cover and simmer over medium until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes.
• Season to taste and add more lime juice to taste, if desired. Serve chicken over rice, with onion mixture and sauce drizzled generously on top.

SHELIA'S CHICKEN YASSA

Steps:

• Stir together lemon juice, oil, mustard, and garlic for marinade in a small bowl. Stir together black pepper, cayenne, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt in another small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken and transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lemon juice mixture. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Chill up to 8 hours or overnight.
• Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect grilling, lighting burners on one side only or pushing lit coals to one side. Heat grill to medium heat, 325 to 375 degrees F (165 to 190 degrees C). Lightly oil the grill grate.
• Transfer chicken to unlit side of grill, discarding marinade. Grill, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest parts registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 40 to 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grill lemon halves, cut-sides down, over lit side of the grill until grill marks appear, about 8 minutes.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in onions, bell peppers, carrot, garlic, and lemon juice; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables are tender and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add chicken broth; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in olives.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange grilled chicken over vegetables in the skillet.
• Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve over cooked rice with grilled lemon halves.

FISH YASSA

Steps:

• 1. Rinse the steaks under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish just large enough to hold them flat in a single layer. Whisk the lemon juice and oil in a small bowl to blend and pour over the fish. Turn the steaks once or twice to coat, then cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1 to 2 hours.2. Preheat the grill to high.3. When almost ready to grill, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the paprika, then add the onions, carrot, and chile and sauté until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water, 1/4 cup each lemon juice, and mustard, and the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce until reduced, thick, and richly flavored, about 15 minutes, stirring often the onions should remain a little crisp. Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper, mustard, or lemon juice as necessary the sauce should be highly seasoned. Cover and keep warm.4. When ready to cook the steaks, oil the grill grate. Remove the steaks from the marinade and arrange, facing in the same direction, on the hot grate. Grill until cooked through in the center when pierced with a knife, 4 to 6 minutes per side, turning over carefully with a long spatula. For an attractive crosshatch of grill marks, rotate the steaks 90 degrees after the first 2 minutes on each side.5. Using the spatula, carefully transfer the steaks to serving plates or a platter and spoon the sauce on top. Serve immediately.Serves 4

FISH YASSA

Steps:

• 1. Rinse the steaks under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish just large enough to hold them flat in a single layer. Whisk the lemon juice and oil in a small bowl to blend and pour over the fish. Turn the steaks once or twice to coat, then cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1 to 2 hours.2. Preheat the grill to high.3. When almost ready to grill, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the paprika, then add the onions, carrot, and chile and sauté until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water, 1/4 cup each lemon juice, and mustard, and the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce until reduced, thick, and richly flavored, about 15 minutes, stirring often the onions should remain a little crisp. Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper, mustard, or lemon juice as necessary the sauce should be highly seasoned. Cover and keep warm.4. When ready to cook the steaks, oil the grill grate. Remove the steaks from the marinade and arrange, facing in the same direction, on the hot grate. Grill until cooked through in the center when pierced with a knife, 4 to 6 minutes per side, turning over carefully with a long spatula. For an attractive crosshatch of grill marks, rotate the steaks 90 degrees after the first 2 minutes on each side.5. Using the spatula, carefully transfer the steaks to serving plates or a platter and spoon the sauce on top. Serve immediately.Serves 4