Ingredients

• 2 pounds calypso beans
• 2 cups medium-diced onion
• 2 poblano peppers, medium dice
• 10 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed red peppers
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 quarts chicken stock
• Two 12-ounce bottles brown ale beer, such as Cigar City Maduro
• 2 melting discs Mexican chocolate, such as Taza (about 2.7 ounces each)
• Salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice, toasted
• 3/4 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 bunches green onion, chopped
• 1/2 habanero pepper, seeded and deveined
• 4 green plantains
• 1 fresh lime, juiced
• Salt
• Four 6-ounce portions fresh fish, such as triple tail, snapper or grouper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced on a mandoline
• 1 cup peeled and julienned jicama
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 red guavas, peeled, quartered and julienned
• 1 carambola (starfruit), discolored edges removed, julienned
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon key lime juice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. For the chocolate calypso beans: Rinse the beans. Rehydrate the beans by soaking them overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. In a large stockpot, saute the onion, poblano peppers and garlic in the olive oil until translucent; do not let the garlic brown.
3. Heat the cumin, crushed red peppers, allspice and cinnamon in a small dry saute pan until toasted.
4. To the sauteed onion mixture, add the beans, toasted spices, chicken stock and brown ale. Raise the heat to high, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
5. Add the chocolate and simmer, stirring often, until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. When beans are tender, season with salt. Taste and adjust seasonings.
6. For the wet jerk rub: Blend the brown sugar, soy sauce, allspice, rum, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, green onion and habanero together in blender until smooth. Set aside.
7. For the crusted fish: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
8. Peel and grate the plantains on box grater. Combine the plantains, lime juice, 4 tablespoons of the wet jerk rub and some salt in a bowl and mix to create the crust.
9. Season the fish with salt and top each piece with a layer of the jerk plantain crust. Heat the clarified butter in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the fish crust-side down until the crust is caramelized, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Flip the fish and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until cooked through, about 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Do not overcook!
10. For the pickled shallots and jicama: Place the shallots and jicama in a heat-proof bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Pour over the shallots and jicama and let cool at room temperature. Set aside.
11. For the guava and carambola salad: Combine the guavas, carambola, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and the pickled shallot and jicama mixture and season with salt to taste.
12. To serve: Top the chocolate calypso beans with the jerk plantain encrusted fish. Top with a portion of the salad mixture that will compliment size of fish.