Cayman Fish Rundown is a traditional Cayman Island recipe for a classic spicy stew of fish, prawns and pumpkin in a tomato and coconut milk base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Cayman Island version of: Cayman Fish Rundown.
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The term 'rundown' means 'nice and slow' in the Caribbean; just how this dish is cooked. Rundown is a fragrant soup made with coconut cream and milk, fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, pimentos, scotch bonnets, and local pumpkin slowly cooked down to make a rich and creamy stock.
Ingredients:
500g fresh fish fillets (such as snapper, grouper, or mahi-mahi), cut into chunks
500g prawns, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 scotch bonnet chilli, seeded and minced (adjust to taste)
500ml coconut milk
225g kabocha pumpkin flesh, cut in large chunks
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley, chopped for garnish
Cooked rice or fried plantains, for serving
Method:
Place a large cast iron casserole (Dutch oven) over medium heat. Once hot add the vegetable oil and use to fry the chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, and tomato until the vegetables are softened (about 5 minutes).
Stir in the minced scotch bonnet chilli, ground allspice, turmeric, and dried thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes to toast the spices and release their flavours. Pour in the coconut milk, add the pumpkin chunks and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Now add in the fish chunks, making sure they are submerged in the coconut milk. Allow the fish to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until it starts to flake easily with a fork.
Gently stir in the prawns and continue to simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the prawns are pink and cooked through. Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
Once the fish and prawns are cooked through, remove the casserole pot from the heat. Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander or parsley over the top to garnish.
Serve hot either on a bed of rice or accompanied by fried plantains.
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