Please, I beg you, do not get squeamish on me for this one. Oven roasting it whole is a great way to get a moist, flavorful fish. Some people shy away from the whole thing. I get it. It’s hard to miss the eyes, the mouth and even the tail. I will admit that this freaks me out a bit, too. It used to be worse for me but now I simply keep my focus on the body and away from the facial attributes. Most importantly, I concentrate on how to honor the fish. The whole fish; because the skin and bones not only impart deep flavors but also protect the fish from drying out by providing natural oils. Another key to increasing its savor and tender texture is stuffing the body with aromatics, such as lemon, onions and herbs. These truly perfume the inner flesh and keep it supple. Additionally, you can cook it en papillote, which mean enveloped in paper. This steams the fish locking in moisture. I simply oven roasted mine this go around.
*NOTE: When buying whole fish, to ensure it is fresh, look for these keys elements.
The fish should be bright, with a metallic luster.
The eyes should be bright, vivid, clear and bulging. If they are sunken or cloudy, it is old
The gills should be bright, wet, pink or red.
The smell should be pleasant and mild.
If the scales are still on, they should be shiny and not detach themselves.
2 fish, not in the same position as the logo for my main company, 2fish, inc, but there they are together.
I like making this for a small dinner party. It creates a lovely presentation and produces a succulent dish. I served this with green veggies, a quinoa salad and a watercress salad. If you continue to scroll down, you will find visual instructions for those dishes. These sides were ideal; light and refreshing to accompany the red snapper. Together they make for a perfect Spring meal.
And as my mom pointed out in the comments section, this method can do used with most any whole fish.
Ingredients
Red Snapper *2-3 lbs for 4 servings
2 Lemons (1 sliced, 1 in wedges for serving)**
1 small Onion
Parsley (or fresh herb of your choice)
Magic 3 (Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper)
*When buying a whole fish figure about 12 ounces to 1 pound of whole fish per person as a main course (as the fish generally yields 50 percent, thus making a 6 to 8 ounce serving) or for 2 people as a first course.
**If you are going to make the Quinoa Salad, then zest the lemon before you slice it for stuffing. Reserve the zest to season the quinoa.
Instructions
Make sure there are no scales on the outer skins of the fish.
Pat dry both the outside and inside of the fish.
I know it seems counterintuitive to make sure the fish is dry when you want it to be moist, but water just water logs the fish.
3. Cut the onion and lemon in slices
4. Brush the interior with oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper then stuff with the onion, lemon slices and parsley.
5. Place on a parchment lined baking tray and score the skin making several long slits. Brush with oil and season the outside with a good amount of pepper, and salt. You can also envelope the fish in a tin foil or parchment paper pouch for the en papillote approach.
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.
You can place the whole fish on a platter lined with greens or herbs, or you can debone it.
Whole roasted Red Snapper
Deboned into filets
Serving suggestions:
Of course any sautéed green vegetable will pair nicely. I made both broccoli rabe and string beans prepared in a simple sauté of olive oil, garlic slices, salt and pepper. The other accompaniments were a side of quinoa and fresh baby watercress salad. Below are the quick visual instructions for the latter two dishes.
Quinoa with Sautéed Onions, Lemon Zest & Mint
Quinoa is a wonderful source of protein and a fairly neutral flavor that is enhanced by the addition of herbs.
Ingredients
1 c Quinoa
1/3-1/2 c chopped onion/shallot
2-3 t lemon zest
4-6 T lemon juice (depending on your taste
6-8 T mint, minced (mixed in and some for top)
Olive oil, salt and pepper
Instructions
Sauté onion and/or shallot, add the quinoa and water and cook according to the package. (I usually measure 1 cup of quinoa to 1.5 c water)
Bring to a boil, cover and lower to simmer cooking for 15-18 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
Then zest the lemon, squeeze some of the juice, season with salt and pepper and toss in the chopped mint and fork fluff. Save some mint for the top decoration.
Baby Watercress, Avocado & Orange Segment Salad with a Citrus Dressing
When making finger sandwiches, I prefer regular watercress as it has more of a textural bite to it as well as a sharper, peppery flavor. For salad purposes I prefer Baby Watercress. It is much more delicate. This salad is all about light and bright, and the citrus does that beautifully.
Ingredients
2 bunches baby watercress
1 avocado, cut in small chunks
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 large orange, segmented
Instructions
First zest the orange and reserve for the dressing.
Then as you segment the orange do it over the dressing bowl to catch all the juices, and squeeze any juice from the remaining pulp.
Thinly slice the shallot (or red onion if that’s all you have)
Cube the avocado (squeezing some lemon to stop it from browning).
Assemble the salad in a bowl, then add orange juice, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil to the orange zest and whisk until emulsified. That simple.
This is a perfect Spring or Summer evening meal. It would be a lovely Sunday lunch idea, too. The fish is delicate and moist. The sides are light yet filling. The citrus brightens the whole meal up, and if you have leftovers, all this would make a wonderful taco lunch.
