Striped Bass in Banana leaf

[Bob]

Here's one I made last night based on Sandy's pork recipe:

2 large Striper fillets trimmed (any white fish should work well)
2 each red and orange "banana type" sweet peppers cut in to small rings
1 hot cherry pepper diced fine
1 /2 large Jalepeno pepper diced fine
2 "Manzano" bananas ( these are what I had around) cut in to "coins".
4 large sprigs fresh tarragon left whole
1 cup of white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
I used a large "Orinoco" leaf cut in half accross ( not length wise)

Trim and clean off the fillets and lay on the first piece of banana leaf ( tip portion)
season with the salt, black pepper and cayenne
Layer the sweet and hot peppers over fillet
Over these add the banana
Top with the tarragon sprigs (used this way you cant use too much, it wont over power)
Fold the leaf over fillet and close up one end
add just enough wine to steam in the open end and finish wrapping about 1/4cup( yeah some will run out) add the remainder to the chef
Here a third hand would help but while keeping the first leaf closed wrap the second half of the leaf around the first to form a better seal and bind with twine I used cheap jute twine soaked in a glass of water.
(tip)Leave the petiole on for a "handle"
Bake at 400 tilll done(you'll have to judge this by the size of fillets) 12 minutes or so. No need to turn over it will steam through. Grilling would be just as good
It was delicious but a bit on the spicy hot side for most. You can always cut back. If you like fish this is a good one.

[Dalmatiansoap]

Hey Bob, U are becoming a real "banana" chef!
Sounds delicious, I cant wait to lay my hands on cooking varieties to start with experiments
Bravo!

[lorax]

Here's an alternate version of the same thing - what Bob has proposed here is actually a traditional Ecuadorean dish called either Maito or Ayampaco (depending on if you're talking to a Kichua or a Shuar).

1 large Striped Bass, cleaned
2 hearts of palm, sliced fine
1 aji pepper, sliced fine
2 maduro (ripe) plantains, cut into coins
2 papa china (taro), sliced fine
1 oz. Aguardiente or other neat liquor (ie Vodka)
A sprig of fresh Oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

I use Gros Michel leaves, because I don't use Striped Bass - I do this with large Plecostomus. Wrap it in the way Bob describes, and cook it by steaming it over water with a bit of Aguardiente in it for about 30 minutes.