Whole Snapper Recipes

WHOLE BAKED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub the fish with olive oil and place it in an oiled oval pan, gratin dish, or sheet pan. Bake for about 15 minutes per inch of thickness at the thickest part of the fish. Check for doneness by carefully sliding a paring knife into the back at the thickest part, gently lifting the top fillet, and peeking inside to make sure the fish pulls away from the bone and the flesh is opaque (but still moist) rather than translucent and raw. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon.;

MOIST ROASTED WHOLE RED SNAPPER WITH TOMATOES, BASIL AND OREGANO

Steps:

• Stuff and cook the snapper: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. If the fins are still on the fish, use kitchen scissors to cut them off (they just fall apart when cooked). Sprinkle both the inside and the outside of the fish liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, whole basil leaves, oregano sprigs, garlic and lemon slices.
• Using a very large (14-inch) saute pan or a small roasting pan (oven safe) heat about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the fish and cook until well browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the fish over-use a large spatula and grab the tail if it's not too hot-and cook on the other side until well browned, about 2 minutes. Take the fish out of the pan and use wadded paper towels to wipe the pan clean of the oil.
• Cook the vegetables: Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, a pinch of red pepper flakes, the tomatoes, potatoes, chopped oregano and a pinch of salt and cook until the tomatoes begin to lose some of their liquid, about 3 minutes. Return the fish to the pan, laying it on top of the vegetables and drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over it. Add the chicken broth to the pan and squeeze the remaining lemon half into the sauce in the pan. Cook on the stove another 3 to 4 minutes, basting the fish with the sauce and moving some of the tomatoes and potatoes in the pan on top of the fish.
• Finish cooking the fish in the oven safe pan in the oven 18 to 19 minutes. (To check for doneness, push the head down gently in the area between the nose and the top of the head; when the head easily moves away from the back of the neck, it is ready.)
• To serve: Remove the fish from the oven and carefully transfer it to a sided platter, pouring any liquid in its cavity back into the pan, and keep the fish warm. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and cook the sauce and vegetables for a minute or two to concentrate the flavors. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, the chopped basil and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the fish and serve, using a large spoon to remove servings off the fish. (Don't forget to turn it over to eat off the other side!)

ROASTED WHOLE SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• In a heavy roasting pan or large cast-iron skillet, toss together the fennel, onions, 5 lemon quarters, and the wine. Rub the snapper all over with olive oil and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the herbs and the remaining lemons.
• Roast about 30 minutes (15 minutes for each inch of thickness), until the flesh just begins to flake.

BAKED WHOLE RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Clean red snapper inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Brush grapeseed oil all over the inside and outside of the fish, and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning on all sides. Insert garlic cloves, citrus slices, and thyme sprigs into the cavity of the fish. Set on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes, depending on size of the fish.

WHOLE SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a large sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup wine and the bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until the onions are tender and the wine is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the butter then remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice.
• Arrange the snappers, side by side, in a 12- by 18-inch or larger roasting pan. Stuff the cavity of each fish with about 1/4 cup of the onion mixture, along with the whole garlic, tomato slices, and celery. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the remaining onion mixture over the fish then pour half the lime juice on and around the fish and add 2 cups of water to the pan. Wrap the pan snugly with foil and roast for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue roasting until the fish is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Remove any onion from the top of the fish then carefully transfer the fish to a large serving platter (do not discard the onion or juices remaining in the pan). Drizzle the remaining lime juice over the fish and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
• Scrape the onion and juices from the roasting pan into a medium saucepan. Add the remaining 1/4 cup white wine and 1/4 cup water, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until slightly reduced, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer.
• To Serve:
• Garnish the fish with cilantro and serve with the reduced pan sauce and lime wedges.

BAKED WHOLE RED SNAPPER WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Place 24x18-inch piece of foil on heavy large baking sheet. Butter foil. Place fish in center of foil. Season cavity of fish with garlic, lemon juice and seafood seasoning. Dot cavity with butter. Arrange thyme sprigs inside cavity. Sprinkle outside of fish with salt and pepper. Top with lemon slices. Fold edges of foil over fish; seal. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake fish until cooked through, about 45 minutes. Transfer fish to platter. Open foil.