Island Frydays Spicy Escovitch Red Snapper Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with a large cast-iron skillet or small rimmed sheet pan (an aluminum quarter sheet pan is ideal) on the middle rack. Do this at least half an hour before cooking.
• Grind the allspice berries coarsely with a mortar and pestle. Add the garlic and grind to a chunky paste. Add the ginger and grind until broken up, then add the Scotch bonnet and grind to a paste.
• Stir in the thyme, half the lime zest, half the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the oil.
• Cut 5 diagonal, shallow gashes across each side of the fish from the head to the tail. Try not to cut more than 1/3 of an inch deep. The cuts should be diagonal from belly to back but also diagonally into the flesh...on the bias.
• Lightly lube the fish with oil. Sprinkle with the remaining half of the salt, being careful to salt the cavity as well.
• Smear the paste onto the fish with a spoon, working it into the gashes. Repeat on the second side.
• Carefully place the fish on the preheated pan and roast for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork.
• To remove, carefully work a metal spatula (a slotted "fish turner" is ideal) and carefully move to a cutting board or platter to serve with the lime wedges. Serving in pieces is virtually impossible so just let people eat directly off the board or platter.
• Consume...careful of the bones

Steps:

• Preheat grill.
• Put all the spices, garlic, scallions, peppers, lime juice, salt, to taste, and a dash of soy sauce in a blender. Combine ingredients with oil to make a paste. Score the fish, and then rub the marinade into the fish. Place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove the snapper from the bag and place on a greased grill, cooking each side for 7 minutes without flipping.
• While the fish is cooking, brush the zucchini with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Put zucchini slices and whole bell peppers on grill, cooking until the zucchini is tender and red pepper blackened. Set zucchini aside and let the red pepper steam in a covered bowl for a few minutes before removing the skins. Serve vegetables with the whole fish, garnished with Island Salsa.
• Combine the chopped the fruit and onion in a bowl. Stir in the red wine vinegar and cilantro. Then add salt and pepper, to taste. The salsa will be served on the side to cool off the spice of the fish.

Steps:

• Mix together 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Season the fish with the mixture.
• In a large skillet over medium, heat oil until really hot but not smoking, about 3 to 5 minutes, and add the fish flesh-side down. Cook until the flesh gets a little color, about 5 minutes. Flip, then continue cooking until the skin is crisp. Remove fish and set aside on a serving platter. Drain oil, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons in the skillet.
• Return the skillet to the stove. Add the bay leaf and fresh ginger, and sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add bell peppers, onion, carrots, Scotch bonnet chile, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, allspice and the remaining thyme leaves, and continue cooking, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add vinegar, and stir to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables soften but still retain bite, and spoon over fish. (Leave the allspice berries or pickling spice in the topping. Simply eat around them.)

Steps:

• Rinse the fish with water and lime juice, and pat dry. Then, score the fish on both sides with a sharp knife. Salt and pepper the fish inside and outside. Lightly dust the fish with flour. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet. Fry the fish in one layer in batches until golden and crisp. Do not crowd the skillet. When all the fish are done, set aside. Pour off some of the oil leaving just enough to saute the onions until softened. Then add the bonnet and red peppers, and saute 1 minute more. Turn the onion mixture out over the fish. In the same skillet heat water, vinegar, and sugar and bring to a boil, then pour over the fish and onions. Let cool and refrigerate.