Cuban Red Snapper Escabeche Recipes

RED SNAPPER ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Season both sides of fillets with salt and pepper, and cut in half lengthwise. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add half the fish in one uncrowded layer. Cook for 2 1/2 minutes on each side, or until fish is crisp and brown around the edges but not cooked through. Transfer to a plate to cool. Heat another tablespoon oil, and repeat with remaining fillets.
• Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and cook garlic over medium heat until it just begins to color. Add shallots and bay leaves, and cook until shallots are transparent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add peppers, and cook until slightly limp, 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Add vinegar and wine, and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, and simmer for a minute or two. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, peppercorns, cloves, and salt, and remove from heat.
• Place one layer of fish in the bottom of a large bowl, and spoon some of the marinade, shallots and peppers over it. Repeat until all are used up. Cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the string beans until bright green, but still crunchy, about 1 minute. Transfer beans to an ice bath to cool. Drain.
• Arrange greens and herbs on serving plate, and place fish with shallots and peppers on top. Remove cloves. Arrange beans loosely around fish. Drizzle some of the marinade over greens just before serving.

CUBAN RED SNAPPER ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Cut fish fillets in half, and season with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a large plate. Dredge each fillet in the flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half of the fillets; saute until opaque and golden brown on bottoms, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over, and cook other sides until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fish to a deep glass or ceramic dish, in a single layer, and set aside. Wipe out skillet, add 2 more tablespoons oil; cook remaining fillets.
• Wipe out skillet, add the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, and place over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, garlic, peppercorns, chile pepper, and bay leaves. Cook 3 minutes, without browning vegetables. Add vinegar, 2 1/2 cups water, olives, and capers. Raise heat to high; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; pour mixture over fish, covering fish completely (if fish is not completely covered, add one part water to one part vinegar until covered). Let stand until cool. Cover; refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
• When ready to serve, let escabeche stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Divide the fish and vegetables among 12 plates; garnish with lime slices and cilantro, if desired.

SNAPPER IN ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of the fillets with salt and black pepper, and cut in half lengthwise. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Lightly saute the fish on both sides for about 1 minute, making sure not to cook throughout. Remove from the pan.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and cook the garlic over medium heat until it just begins to color. Add the shallots and bay leaves, and cook until the shallots are transparent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook until slightly limp, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and simmer for a minute or two. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, peppercorns, cloves and some salt and remove from the heat.
• Place one layer of fish in the bottom of a large bowl, and spoon some of the shallots, peppers and sauce over it as a marinade. Repeat with layers of the remaining fish, sauce and vegetables. Cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight before serving.

SNAPPER ESCABèCHE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the vinegar, pineapple juice, fish sauce, brown sugar and ketchup. Bring to a steady simmer and cook until reduced by almost half, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the scallions and bell peppers in a medium bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Grill until well marked and tender, about 2 minutes per side for the scallions and 3 minutes per side for the peppers.
• Score the skin side of the snapper fillets, making a few small slashes. Pat dry. Brush both sides of the fillets with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the fish skin-side down, covered, until it's cooked around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook through, 3 to 4 more minutes.
• Cut the scallions into 3-inch pieces and cut the peppers into 1/4-inch strips. Divide the vegetables and fish among plates. Pour some of the sauce on top and serve the rest on the side. Serve with the rice.

ESCABECHE OF RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot, add the fillets, skin side down, and cook them for 4 minutes, or until the skin is very crisp. Turn the fillets and cook them for 2 minutes more.
• In another large skillet cook the onion in the remaining oil over moderately high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the fresh coriander, coriander seeds, saffron, green peppercorns, orange zest, garlic and bell peppers and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. Add the wine and the orange and lemon juice and tomatoes and cook the mixture with the salt and pepper.
• Transfer the fish to a large glass or ceramic dish, cover it with the vegetable mixture and chill it, covered, overnight.
• Before serving, let the fish stand in a cool place for 1 1/2 hours. Garnish each serving with two of the steamed mussels, if desired.

PESCADO FRITO (FRIED RED SNAPPER)

Steps:

• Prepare the adobo: Combine all the adobo ingredients and grind them together in a large pilón or mortar and pestle, or simply mix them together in a small bowl.
• Prepare the fish: Make three shallow crosswise cuts on both sides of the surface of the fish skin, then place it in a deep container with a lid or a large resealable bag. Pour adobo over, rubbing it into the skin, head and cavity. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or 2 to 3 hours in the fridge. If marinating longer, let the fish come to room temperature 30 minutes before frying.
• In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot large enough to submerge your fish, pour in enough oil to reach a depth of at least 2 inches. Heat over high until oil is simmering and reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
• Once the oil comes to temperature, pick the marinated fish up by the tail, shake off excess marinade, and lower it head-first into simmering oil. Use a pair of tongs to gently nudge the fish to prevent it from sticking to the pot. It'll be very active at first, so have a splatter shield handy, if you've got one.
• Using a heat-safe ladle, baste any unsubmerged fish with hot oil repeatedly, ensuring fish cooks evenly. Fry until it turns golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes, watching carefully and removing immediately if it starts to get dark.
• Using an extra-long fish spatula, or a set of heatproof tongs and a heatproof spatula, carefully lift the fish out of the oil and transfer it to the lined baking sheet.
• Let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges, hot sauce and cilantro.