COCONUT CRUSTED HADDOCK WITH PINEAPPLE RICE AND COCONUT AND SPICED RUM CREAM SAUCE

Seafood

Ingredients

3 tablespoon butter

I can coconut milk

⅓ cup spiced rum

½ cup apricot preserves

The juice from one lime

2 pounds haddock filets (or firm white fish)

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 eggs

8 tablespoon coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

1 large onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, finely minced or grated

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped

1, 20 ounce can pineapple chunks (or 1, 8 ounce can crushed pineapple)

3 eggs

1 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed

3 cups brown jasmine rice, cooked (1 cup uncooked rice according to package directions)

2 tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan combine butter, coconut milk, rum, and preserves. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes until reduced by ⅓. Sauce should be syrupy and coat the back of a spoon. Finish with the lime juice.

Season haddock filets on both sides with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. In a shallow dish combine 1 cup of the coconut and the panko breadcrumbs and stir to combine. In another dish scramble the eggs. Add 4 tablespoon of the coconut oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Dip filets in egg, drain excess and coat with coconut-panko mixture pressing the crumbs into the fish to adhere. Add filets to the pan in batches (do not crowd). Cook about 3-4 minutes per side until toasty brown and just cooked through. If the filets are thick, just brown on both sides and then put in a 350-degree oven to finish cooking while you make the rice and sauce. Filets should flake easily in the middle when cut with a fork – do not overcook.

In the same skillet, add remaining coconut oil and saute onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Cook for 3 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add remaining cup of coconut and drained pineapple chunks (do not drain if using crushed pineapple). Sauté 3 more minutes until coconut is toasty and pineapple lightly browned and caramelized. Push the contents of the pan to one side and crack the 3 eggs into the empty side. Scramble the eggs, stirring until just cooked through and then mix with the rest of the pan.

Add rice, soy sauce, peas, cilantro and remaining teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook 3 more minutes mixing well.

Serve fish over rice and top with sauce. Garnish with lime and fresh chopped cilantro. YUMMM!