Baked Pampono Fish With Caramelized Leeks, Zucchini and Toasted Bread Crumbs

How to re-create this recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 Pampano Fish (gutted)
• 3 Tbsp of Coconut Oil
• 1 Tbsp of Honey
• 1 Tsp of ground Ginger
• 1/4th of a cup of Soy Sauce
• 3 Lemon Wedges
• 4 Sprigs of Lemon Thyme (or regular Thyme stems)
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Leek Stem (with green top discarded)
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Tbsp of Red Palm Oil
• Salt and Black pepper to taste
• Leftover toasted Bread Crumbs (optional)

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Have a oven proof dish large enough to fit the Pompano and a large saute pan handy.
2. Make your fish marinade first by whisking together the Coconut Oil, Honey, Ground Ginger and Soy Sauce in a small bowl. Pour the marinade in the dish you bake your fish in. Slice 3 lemon wedges and stuff the cavity of the fish with them along with your sprigs of Thyme. Score the flesh of the fish, place the fish in the dish and turn over once so the entire fish is coated with the marinade. Cover with foil paper and bake for 20 minutes.
3. While the fish is baking you can prepare your side dish. After washing your Leek well (it can be gritty) and your zucchini, Slice your leek in half and slice it into thin strips. Set aside.
4. Mince your 2 Garlic cloves, add the palm oil into your saute pan and after the oil heats up on medium heat add the garlic and let that infuse into the oil for about 3 minutes.
5. Slice your Zucchini in half and then cut the halved part into 3-4 strips (depending on how thick the Zucchini is)  and cube it into small chunks. Set aside.
6. Add the Leeks to the saute pan and cook for about 5-8 minutes until caramelized and browned, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add your zucchini and cook until softened (about 5 more minutes). Add Salt and black  pepper to taste. To finish this dish top with toasted bread crumbs.
7. When the 20 minutes are up on your fish, take the foil off and bake for another 10 minutes.
8. To serve the fish, halve it and spoon the delicious sauce all over the filet.
9. Don’t forget to enjoy the incredible aromas that fill your kitchen from just the smell of the fish sauce you made !

Nourishment for your body: Pompano fish is incredibly moist when you cook it whole. The flesh has a mild and subtle sweet flavor and literally falls off the bone. The meat is firm but finely flaked. This fish has a beautiful silver skin and is typically sourced from Florida. They are high in vitamins, minerals , and protein. Pompanos also have a low mercury content. 

Tips when cooking: Besides baking this fish, you can fry, poach, or steam it. In case your wondering why this fish tends to be more expensive then other varieties it is because it’s in high demand, both recreationally and commercially and due to fishing restrictions of it.  If you cannot find Pompano other fish you can substitute for it are Flounder, Snapper and Mahi Mahi.