Coconut Dream Fish Recipe

This Coconut Dream Fish Recipe is a vibrant Jamaican-inspired seafood dish that pairs flaky wild sea bass with creamy coconut milk, fragrant herbs, warming spices, and fresh vegetables. Featured on Cook the Books Season 3: Celebrity Edition, hosted by Shahir Massoud, this recipe from Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook delivers bold Caribbean flavours while remaining light, wholesome, and simple enough for home cooks to recreate any night of the week.

The Inspiration

Jamaican cuisine is rooted in fresh ingredients, bold seasonings, and recipes that celebrate the natural flavours of the Caribbean. Seafood has long been an important part of the island’s culinary heritage, thanks to the abundance of fresh fish found along Jamaica’s coastline.

Inspired by Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook and featured on Cook the Books Season 3: Celebrity Edition, hosted by Shahir Massoud, this Coconut Dream Fish Recipe beautifully reflects the cookbook’s philosophy of wholesome cooking and joyful family meals.

The recipe layers coconut flavour in multiple stages—first by massaging coconut oil into the fish before cooking, then by pan-frying the fillets in additional coconut oil, and finally by creating a silky coconut milk sauce infused with vegetables and spices.

Ingredients

4 fillets wild sea bass
Salt, to taste
½ teaspoon lemon pepper
4-6 tablespoons Ziggy Marley’s Coco’Mon Coconut Oil, or coconut oil of your choosing
½ cup vegetable stock
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium bell peppers
3 whole garlic cloves
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (some chopped for garnish)
6 whole Jamaican allspice berries
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ coconut milk
Lime, quartered, for garnish

Method

Season fish fillets with salt and lemon pepper in the same skillet you will cook with.
Rub 1 tablespoon coconut il onto seasoned fish, massaging for a few minutes. You’ve reached stage one of coconutiness. Remove fillets from pan and set aside.
Warm remaining coconut oil in the skillet over medium heat until oil is hot.
Return fillets to pan and fry on each side for 3-5 minutes, until slightly browned.
Remove fillets and place in a dish. You’ve reached stage two of coconutiness.
Add 4 tablespoons vegetable stock to the same skillet and scrape all the fish goodness from the bottom, deglazing the skillet and stirring. Lower heat if necessary, so as to not burn.
Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, thyme, allspice, cayenne pepper, and curry powder, and stir until mixture starts bubbling (about a minute or so).
Stir in coconut milk, remainder of vegetable stock, and heat 2-3 minutes until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat.
Lay fish fillets back in the pan and simmer for a few minutes, just so the fish can incorporate all the sauce. Try to make sure the fillets are kept whole.
Turn off heat, garnish with fresh chopped thyme and lime wedges, and serve on a platter, family style. You’ve reached the final stage of coconutiness.
This dish is gingery and coconutty with a hint of curry and a little spice. It tastes clean and will leave you feeling well-fed but not full – Jamaican style.

Serving Suggestions

This Coconut Dream Fish Recipe is ideal for weeknight dinners, relaxed weekend meals, or tropical-inspired entertaining. Serve the fish over fragrant jasmine rice, coconut rice, or fluffy basmati rice so every spoonful captures the creamy coconut sauce.

For a more traditional Caribbean-inspired meal, pair it with rice and peas, fried ripe plantains, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled corn, or sautéed seasonal vegetables. The richness of the coconut milk also complements steamed greens such as spinach, bok choy, or callaloo, creating a balanced and nutritious dinner.

If you’re entertaining guests, present the fish on a large serving platter garnished with chopped thyme and fresh lime wedges. Refreshing beverages like homemade ginger lemonade, sparkling lime water, hibiscus tea, or chilled coconut water complete the Caribbean-inspired dining experience.

Final Thoughts

This Coconut Dream Fish Recipe is a celebration of Jamaican-inspired cooking, combining flaky sea bass, creamy coconut milk, aromatic herbs, warming spices, and colourful vegetables into one vibrant seafood dish. Featured on Cook the Books Season 3: Celebrity Edition with Shahir Massoud, this recipe from Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook showcases how fresh ingredients and thoughtful seasoning can create extraordinary flavour without complicated preparation.

Find more recipes from Cook the Books here!