Instructions

1. Start by creating a standard jerk rub. Combine Scotch bonnets -- if you can stand the heat, some onions and some minced garlic. Then throw in about a quarter teaspoon each of salt, pepper, allspice, onion powder, red pepper flakes, sugar and thyme. Add another layer to the mixture with a dash each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir the ingredients and taste; for the best evaluation, rub the seasoning on a piece of meat or even a slice of cheese. Think of this mixture as your base -- a fine Jamaican jerk rub that you can modify from this point.

2. Finesse this full-flavored jerk seasoning based on what your taste buds tell you. Add some soy sauce or chopped chilies. Sprinkle in some brown sugar to sweeten the seasoning. And don’t forget a sprinkle of lime juice – a true Jamaican touch that will stand out amid this seasoning crowd.

3. Brush your cleaned fish with olive oil. Coat the fish with the jerk seasoning on both sides. Place it in a glass dish and let it soak up the flavors in the refrigerator for at least two hours, if not overnight. Cover the dish with plastic wrap.

4. Preheat your oven to between 400 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit – an ideal range for baking fish. Spray a baking sheet and place your jerk-seasoned fish on top. Assess the width of the fish to help determine how long to bake it. For every inch of thickness, the fish should be cooked for 10 minutes and turned over halfway through the cooking time. So if your fish is ½ inch thick, bake it for about 5 minutes total and flip it only once, after two-and-a-half minutes.

5. Check the temperature of the fish with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 165 F. It also should be opaque and firm but flaky when you cut into it with a fork.