Gave In To The Craving

Vegetables and seafood are our staples, providing that I have time to cook.  As for the fish, we seem to end up with salmon, swordfish or tilapia.  I’ve had so much salmon that if I ever fall into a rapid river I can easily swim upstream.  I have no complaint about shrimp or squid either, love them and can eat them by a pound.

I also love red snapper, but it has to be a whole red snapper.  The local supermarket nearby has a wide selection of very fresh seafood.  In the last couple of weeks they have had whole Red snapper available, but I haven’t had the time to cook.  So, I just stared longingly and passed.  This past weekend was another story.  Both of us were home, so we got Red snapper and it was worth the preparation time.

Broiled Red Snapper

Ingredients: (As I mentioned in the previous cooking blogs, I cannot give the exact quantity for the ingredients.  I learned to cook at home and we never measure the ingredients; we simply guess.  We know what we like and you know what you like, so…)

• One whole Red snapper, scaled, tail and fins off.  The whole one is better because the head and bones make it taste sweeter.  But if you like filleted, use it.
• Fresh garlic, minced
• Fresh ginger, minced
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Pickled plum with some juice.  You can find this in any Asian market.  You can also use fresh lime juice.
• Light soy sauce
• Celery. The Asian type is better, more leaves and a slightly pungent taste.
• Fresh Shitake mushroom, thin sliced
• Vegetables of your choice.  I like a mixed of Napa cabbage, Scallion and Swiss chard.

  

How to cook:

• Mix fresh minced garlic, ginger, ground black pepper, lime juice or pickle plum, and light soy sauce together.  The mix should be enough for rubbing the fish, stuffing the fish belly and to mix with water for broiling.
• Clean the fish, cut two or three diagonal cuts on each side of the fish (see photo above).
• Rub mixed herbs and spices on both sides and make sure to put some in the diagonal cuts.
• Mix the spice left over from rubbing with Shitake mushroom and stuff some of the mix in the fish belly
• Clean and cut vegetables.  Cut the spines and stems thinner than the leaves.  Use the hard part like stems and spines at the bottom of the pan.  Lay the rubbed fish on top.  Put in some of the mixed water and spices, just enough to cover the vegetables.  Then turn on the heat.
• Once the fish is cooked.  Take the fish and vegetables out.  How to check whether the fish is cooked or not: I stick a toothpick in the fish.  If it easily goes in and out, it’s cooked.  If it still feels sticky, it’s still not cooked well enough.  Remember that the fish will continue to cook after you take it off the heat.
• Put the rest of the vegetables in the juice in the cooking pan, cover, and let it cook for a few seconds.  Stir a couple of times.
• Once the vegetables are wilted, take them out and arrange them around the fish.  Vegetables that are to well cooked will have less nutrients in them.

Serve with fresh cooked rice.

We had it with a cold Harpoon 100 Barrel Series ‘Ginger Wheat’ beer.  A perfect fit.