Red Snapper Baked In Salt With Romesco Sauce Recipes

ROMAN-ESCO (ITALIAN ROMESCO) WITH RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Place peppers and coarsely chopped tomato in food processor with bread, pine nuts, garlic, rosemary, chopped parsley and vinegar. Turn processor on and stream in 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil to form a thick sauce.
• Place 2 tablespoons olive oil into a shallow saute pan and add the rosemary sprig. This will infuse the oil before adding the fish.
• Season snapper with salt and pepper and score skin side with cross hatches. Dredge the fish in flour and cook in the rosemary-infused olive oil for 7 to 8 minutes until crispy and golden on both sides. Serve fish in a pool of the sauce.

WHOLE RED SNAPPER BAKED IN SALT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rinse and dry the fish thoroughly. Whisk together the egg whites and water and combine with the salt in a large mixing bowl. Work the mixture with your hands to distribute the water and egg whites in the salt. The salt mixture should hold together when you press a mound of it together between the palms of your hands. If it doesn't, work in another egg white.
• Fill a baking dish that is 2 inches longer than the fish about 1/3 full of the salt mixture. Place the fish on top. Cover the fish with the rest of the salt mixture and smooth the salt over with a spatula. Place the fish in the oven for about 40 minutes. The only way to know whether the fish is done is by inserting an instant-read thermometer through the layer of salt and measuring the temperature of the fish. When it reaches 135 degrees F, take it out, and serve immediately.
• Bring the fish to the table on a baking sheet or on a large platter and crack it with a mallet or even a hammer. Pull back the salt layer, then peel off the skin with a fork. Serve on hot plates.

FISH BAKED IN SALT WITH ROMESCO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Rinse the whole fish and pat it dry. In a heavy casserole large enough to hold the fish and all the salt, make a 2 inch layer of salt. Make a shallow, fish shaped impression in the salt and lay the fish on top. Distribute the remaining salt around and over the fish so that it is completely covered. Pat the salt down gently, cover the casserole and bake for about 1 hour. Remove the cover and tap the salt to break it (it will have formed an armorlike crust). Break the crust and pull off most of the salt. Then peel away and discard the skin. Serve the flesh immediately, accompanied by the Romesco sauce.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, soak the bread cubes in the vinegar for 20 minutes. Toast the almonds for 10 to 15 minutes, watching closely. Cool the almonds completely, then grind them in a mortar and pestle or food processor until they are finely ground but not oily. Add the vinegar soaked bread, tomatoes, paprika, salt and pepper to the processor and grind together briefly until evenly pureed. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream.