Jerk Sea Bass with Fried Plantain and Pico de Gallo
Crisp-skinned sea bass fillets with a quick jerk rub, sweet fried plantain and a fresh tomato and lime pico de gallo.
Made with Fresh pico de gallo and Jerk marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.01 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the sea bass dry. Rub 60 ml of your ready made jerk marinade (see the base recipe) over the flesh side only and leave for 15 minutes at room temperature.
15 min - 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the plantain slices for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden and soft. Lift onto kitchen paper and keep warm.
5 min - 3
Wipe out the pan and heat the remaining oil over a medium high heat. Lay the fillets in skin side down and press gently with a fish slice for 20 seconds.
- 4
Cook for 4 minutes without moving them, until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque two thirds of the way up. Flip for 1 minute.
5 min - 5
Spoon your ready made pico de gallo (see the base recipe) onto plates. Add the fish, the plantain and the coriander, and serve with lime wedges.
Tips
- Keep the marinade to the flesh side. The sugar in it burns quickly on the skin and stops it crisping.
- Use plantain that is yellow with black patches. Green plantain is starchy and will not taste sweet.
- Fish only needs a short marinade. Over 30 minutes the acid in the lime starts to turn the flesh soft.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Leftover cooked fish keeps in the fridge for up to 1 day and should be eaten cold or reheated until steaming hot. Do not freeze the finished dish.
Questions
Can I use another fish?
Yes. Sea bream, red snapper, salmon or thick cod fillets all work. Adjust the cooking time: salmon takes 3 to 4 minutes skin side down, cod about 4 minutes each side.
What is plantain and where can I find it?
Plantain is a starchy cooking banana. Look in large supermarkets or African, Caribbean and Asian grocers. Choose yellow ones with black spots for sweet fried plantain.
Is this dish gluten free?
Yes. All the ingredients, plus the jerk marinade and pico de gallo bases, are gluten free. It is also dairy free, egg free and nut free.
More made with fresh pico de gallo
Pescado Zarandeado con Tortillas (Chipotle Grilled Butterflied Fish)
DFEFNFQuesadillas de Camarón al Adobo (Adobo Prawn Quesadillas)
EFNFSincronizadas de Frijol Negro y Queso (Crisp Bean and Cheese Tortilla Sandwiches)
EFNFEnsalada de Frijol Negro, Elote y Aguacate (Black Bean, Charred Corn and Avocado Salad)
GFDFEFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
