Creole Red Snapper Recipes

Steps:

• For the red snapper: Rub the coarse sea salt generously on the inside and outside of the red snapper. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Lightly oil the grill grates and heat the grill to 300 degrees F.
• For the creole stuffing: Heat a cast-iron skillet on the grill over direct heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once melted, add the celery, bell peppers and white and green onions and cook until softened and browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 additional minutes.
• Combine the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice, kosher salt, Creole seasoning, dried thyme, dried sage, cayenne and remaining butter in a bowl and mix until well blended. Add the sauteed vegetables to the stuffing mixture and mix. Set aside.
• Wipe off the salt from the red snapper and stuff it with the stuffing mixture. Secure it with cooking twine (remember to remove the twine before serving). Place the lemon rounds on the grill and place the red snapper atop the rounds. Grill until the flesh is opaque, about 25 minutes.
• For the creole rice: Saute the andouille sausage, stewed tomatoes, white onions, bell peppers and butter in a cast-iron skillet on the grill over direct heat until lightly browned and shiny, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the Creole seasoning, dried thyme and dried sage to the skillet and stir. Add the cooked rice and stir until uniform in appearance.
• Place the stuffed red snapper onto the rice and serve.

Steps:

• Combine the onions and garlic. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour 1/2 marinade over fish with onions and garlic. Let fish marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Grill fish on both sides for about 7 minutes. Warm remaining marinade and serve over cooked fish.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and oregano.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 10 minutes, or until extremely hot.
• Dip fish into melted butter, and sprinkle each fillet generously with the seasoning mixture. Place the fish fillets in the hot skillet. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter over each fillet. Cook until the coating on the underside of the fillet turns black, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the fish over. Pour another tablespoon of butter over the fish, and cook for 2 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Steps:

• Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Spray large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil with cooking spray. Place tomatoes, onion and bell pepper on foil. Wrap foil securely around vegetables. Cover and grill foil packets, seam sides up, 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 6 minutes, turning once.
• While vegetables are grilling, mix green onions, vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper sauce in medium bowl; set aside.
• Spray fish and hinged wire grill basket with cooking spray. Place fish in basket; add to grill with vegetables. Cover and grill fish 7 to 8 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork.
• Place fish on serving platter; keep warm. Coarsely chop grilled vegetables. Toss vegetables, parsley and green onion mixture; spoon over fish. Serve with rice.

Steps:

• Place snapper fillets in a baking dish which has been sprayed with a butter-flavored baking spray.
• In a skillet, melt butter with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning blend, pepper, parsley, and chives, if using. Cook on low for 2 minutes, just to blend flavors. Brush both sides of fish fillets with the butter and herb mixture. Toss bread crumbs in the remaining butter mixture; sprinkle over the fillets. Bake at 400° for about 12 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets, until fish flakes easily and is no longer translucent.
• Serves 2.

Steps:

• Prepare the sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium until shimmering. Add the onions, red and green bell peppers and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato sauce, thyme and 1 3/4 cups water; bring to a boil over high.
• Stir in the white vinegar and seasoning salt, reduce the temperature to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, prepare the fish: Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium. On a large plate, mix the flour and seasoning salt with a fork.
• Pat the snapper fillets dry using paper towels, and season 2 fillets with salt and pepper before dipping them into the flour mixture until coated on both sides.
• Once the oil is shimmering, gently lay the floured fillets in the hot oil, skin-side down, and cook until skin is crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a fish spatula, carefully flip fillets and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through.
• Transfer the fish to a large paper-towel-lined plate. Cover loosely with foil and repeat with the remaining fillets.
• Divide fish among plates, skin side up, and top with the Creole sauce. Serve immediately, passing hot sauce at the table.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat the achiote oil over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, tomato, chile peppers, garlic, cilantro, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, and stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Add the corn and fish stock and cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a blender process until smooth on high speed.* Pour the sauce through a fine strainer into a saucepan, add the evaporated milk, and warm over low heat.
• Dilute the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Add to the saucepan, mix well, and incorporate the butter with a whisk. Taste for seasoning and and cook for about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
• Generously season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over high heat. When oil is hot, place the fillets in the skillet, skin side down, and cook for 3 minutes, without turning. Flip onto other side and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat to a platter.
• Spoon the warm sauce in the center of each dinner plate. Top with a fish portion. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and the toasted and crushed coriander seeds.

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.

Steps:

• Put the fish in a baking dish and make shallow diagonal 3 inch long cuts on each side of the fish. Season each side of the fish with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 t of the Creole seasoning. Let the seasoned fish rest in the fridge while you make the sauce.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a medium stockpot over med-high heat. Add your onions, bell peppers, celery, the remaining 2 t of salt, cayenne, thyme and the bay leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes - until the onions are soft and golden. Stir in the green onions and garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes (don't brown the flour).
• Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce and the pepper sauce. Cook this mixture over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and then remove the sauce from the heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.
• Pour the sauce over the red snapper and bake it for about 1 hour, until the flesh if firm and cooked through (if you are using smaller fish filets, you will have to adjust the time down).
• Loosen the head from the fish and remove. Run a spoon down the back of the fish to find the spine. Gently loosen the flesh from the spine and the bones, slipping a wide spatula under the flesh, lift the flesh away from the gones and lay the filet of fish on a serving plate. Gently pull the fish skeleton away from the bottom filet and discard. Lift the bottom filet from the roasting pan and put on the serving plate. Remove and discard the bay leaves and pour the sauce into a bowl for serving.
• Serve the fish with the sauce spooned over the top!

Steps:

• Make Creole sauce: In 2 T. hot butter in medium saucepan, saute celery, 1/2 cup o nion, the green pepper and garlic, stirring, until onion is golden-brown - 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, chili powder, 1 t. salt, sugar, and 1/8 t. pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat; simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until thickened. Makes about 2-1/2 cups sauce.
• Make stuffing: Trim crusts from bread and grate on medium box grater or use food processor. Set aside (makes about 2 cups).
• In 1/4 cup hot butter in medium skillet, saute green onion, stirring for 3 minutes. Add parsley, salt, and pepper; mix well. Add bread crumbs; toss to mix well.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash fish inside and out under cold running water. Drain well; pat dry with paper towels.
• Line a shallow roasting pan with foil; butter foil. Place fish in prepared pan; brush inside of fish with mixture of melted butter, salt and pepper. Fill cavity with the stuffing; close the opening with skewers or wooden picks. Pour 2 T. lemon juice over the fish.
• Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup sauce over fish. Bake, basting twice, 10 minutes longer, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. With 2 wide spatulas, remove fish to serving platter. Garnish with chopped parsley and pass rest of sauce on the side.