Marley's Magic Recipe

Make the jerk marinade

In a medium bowl combine 3 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs lime juice, 1 tsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp ground thyme, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 seeded & minced Scotch bonnet (adjust for heat), 2 finely chopped green onion whites, 1 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well combined.

Marinate the trout

Pat trout fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets skin-side down in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour half of the marinade over them, reserving the other half for basting/finishing. Rub marinade gently into fish, ensuring even coating. Cover or seal and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes (up to 1 hour for deeper flavor).

Preheat grill or grill pan

Preheat a grill or heavy cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Oil grates or the pan lightly to prevent sticking.

Prepare vegetables

While trout marinates, trim cauliflower into bite-size florets, slice carrots on the bias and cut bell peppers into strips. Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves and separate the white and green parts of the spring onions.

Cook base (pasta or rice) first

If using linguine: bring a large pot of salted water (add 1 tbs kosher salt) to a boil and cook 12 oz linguine to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. If using basmati rice: rinse 1 cup rice until water runs clear. Combine rice with 1.5 cups water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered 5–10 minutes.

Sauté vegetables and build sauce

Heat 1 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and carrots and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to color. Add bell pepper strips and continue to sauté 2–3 minutes until peppers soften but remain bright. Push vegetables to the side of the pan; add the sliced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and make creamy sauce

Pour 1/2 cup dry white wine into the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock and simmer 1–2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. If using pasta, add drained linguine directly to the pan and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if you want a looser sauce. If serving with rice, keep sauce and vegetables in the pan and spoon over rice when plating.

Grill the trout

Remove trout from refrigerator about 5 minutes before cooking. Place fillets skin-side down on the preheated grill or grill pan. Cook undisturbed 3–5 minutes depending on thickness until the skin is crispy and fish easily releases from the grill. Flip carefully and brush top with reserved jerk marinade. Cook the second side 1–2 minutes until the trout is just cooked through (internal temperature ~125–130°F / 52–54°C) and flakes easily. Total cooking time ~5–8 minutes.

Rest the fish

Transfer trout to a plate and let rest 2–3 minutes. Spoon any juices from the resting plate back into the pan sauce for extra flavor if desired.

Finish and garnish

If serving linguine: divide creamy vegetable linguine among 4 plates, top each with a grilled jerk trout fillet. If serving basmati rice: mound rice on each plate, spoon creamy vegetable mix beside it and place trout on top. Scatter thinly sliced spring onion greens and whites over the trout and vegetables, sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley, and serve with lemon wedges. Taste and adjust salt/pepper or a light squeeze of lime if desired.