Blaff

Easy·25 min active + 35 min resting

Antillean poached fish — fish marinated in lime and garlic, then quickly poached in a citrusy, herby court-bouillon with allspice and scotch bonnet. The name mimics the sound of the fish dropping into the pot.

Blaff is the French-Antillean poached fish, dropped live-fresh into a boiling lime-and-spice broth — the name said to mimic the splash as the fish hits the pot. Clean, citrusy and quick, it is everyday island cooking.

Spoon up blaff and the fish is silky and just-set in a clear, bright, intensely citrusy broth fragrant with allspice, clove, and thyme. Bite: the poaching keeps the fish delicate and moist, the broth sharp with lime and warm with spice, a gentle scotch-bonnet heat. Light, clean, and aromatic — the restorative poached-fish dish of the French Antilles.

Marinating in lime firms the fish before a quick, gentle poach keeps it delicate and intact (boiling hard would break it). The aromatic broth — lime, allspice, clove, thyme, and a whole scotch bonnet — infuses the fish lightly; it's all about freshness and citrus brightness.

Variations

With sea urchin or shellfish (blaff d'oursin). With more allspice. Spicier. With green banana poached alongside. With a splash of rum in the broth. Chilled as a light starter.

On the Palate

Where Blaff sits in the Martinican flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

How it's made

8 steps · 25 min active + 35 min waiting

1
32 min
Marinate 600 g firm white fish in lime juice, crushed garlic, and salt 30 min.
Watch out
Give it the full half hour in the lime — the acid firms the flesh so it holds together in the broth instead of falling apart.
2
6 min
Bring water to a boil with sliced onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, allspice berries, clove, and a whole scotch bonnet.
3
10 min
Simmer the broth 10 min to infuse, then add a good squeeze of lime.
4
2 min
Drop the marinated fish into the boiling broth.
Watch out
The broth must be at a full boil when the fish goes in — that quick shock sets the surface so it poaches clean.
5
9 min
Poach gently 8-10 min until the fish is just cooked and opaque.
Watch out
Now drop it back to a gentle poach — hard boiling breaks the fish, so let it just barely tremble until opaque.
6
2 min
Remove the scotch bonnet; taste and adjust lime and salt.
7
2 min
Ladle the fish and broth into bowls.
8
2 min
Serve with bread or boiled provisions, and a side of rice.