Whole Snapper Recipes

WHOLE ROASTED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large baking dish or a baking sheet with parchment paper and top with a rack.
• In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon zest, chopped thyme, garlic, chile flakes and kosher salt.
• Cut 3 diagonal slashes down to the bone on each side of the fish. Season fish all over, including inside the slashes and cavity, with mixture.
• Lay on the rack and stuff each slash and cavity with the thyme stems, sliced lemons and kumquats.
• Cook, without turning, until fish flakes with a fork and flesh is opaque in the center, about 20 minutes.
• Carve fish into four portions and transfer to plates. Drizzle with juices from the baking dish and garnish with flaky salt before serving.

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 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.;

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.