Salt-Seared Snapper with Melon, Mint & Watercress Salad

Fish cooked with salt doesn’t taste salty, just well seasoned. The salt helps keep the fish moist and allows you to cook it without adding fat to the pan. Shrimp makes a good substitute for the snapper. 

• 2 cups loosely packed watercress leaves, well washed and dried
• 1-1/2 cups diced cantaloupe or other melon, or a mix
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 lb. red snapper fillet, cut into four pieces
• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Portion the watercress, melon, and mint among four salad plates, reserving some of the water­cress for a garnish. 

In a frying pan, sprinkle the salt evenly over the surface of the pan and heat over high heat until very hot. Add the snapper and cook about 1 min. Turn, add 3 Tbs. of the lemon juice, and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the fish is lightly browned, about another 2 min.

Dissolve the sugar in the remaining lemon juice. Divide the fish and pan juices among the plates and drizzle with the sweetened lemon juice. Garnish with the reserved watercress and serve.

Whole Roasted Snapper with Tamarind

For this Indonesian-inspired dish, I like a firm-textured fish such as red snapper, striped bass, or grouper. Although the fish is traditionally deep-fried, I simplify and lighten things a bit by roasting it instead. If you don’t have time to marinate the fish overnight, simply bake the fish in its marinade for full effect and serve the pan juices as the sauce.

• 6 oz. compressed tamarind pulp (a 3/4-inch-thick piece about 2x4 inches)
• 2 cups hot water
• 8 large cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced (about 2 Tbs.)
• 3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 Tbs. chopped shallots
• 2 dried hot chiles (or more to taste), coarsely chopped with seeds
• 2 Tbs. palm sugar (available canned in Asian markets) or brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 whole snapper (about 2 lb.), boned and well cleaned, scales and gills removed
• 3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced, or a 28-oz. can of whole tomatoes, juice and seeds squeezed out, flesh coarsely chopped
• A few sprigs of fresh cilantro

Soak the tamarind in the hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Put the tamarind pulp in a fine sieve set over the bowl of soaking liquid and press hard to extract as much of the pulp as possible. Stir in the garlic, ginger, shallots, chiles, and sugar and set aside.

Lightly salt the fish inside and out. Make 4 diagonal cuts about 1/2-inch deep on both sides of the fish. Put the fish in a large dish, pour the marinade over it, cover, and refrigerate. Marinate overnight (or 30 minutes, if you’re going to bake the fish in the sauce), turning the fish occasionally to ensure even marinating.

Heat the oven to 375°F. If you’ve marinated the fish overnight, transfer it to a baking dish and reserve the marinade. Scatter the tomatoes over and around the fish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the flesh feels firm and looks opaque with no signs of pink. (If you have only let the fish marinate for 30 minutes, put the fish, marinade, and tomatoes into the baking dish. Bake until done, about 45 minutes.)

While the fish is baking, put the reserved marinade in a heavy, medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and keep warm. When the fish is cooked, drain off any juices that have collected in the baking dish and add them to the sauce. Transfer the cooked fish to a heated serving platter and coat the fish with the sauce. Garnish with the cilantro.

Braised Red Snapper Puttanesca

Black sea bass makes a good substitute for snapper in this recipe. If you buy a whole fish, see how to fillet a whole fish. 

• 4 5-oz. skinless red snapper fillets (about 3/4 inch thick)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
• 2 14-1/2-oz. cans petite-diced tomatoes
• 2 anchovy fillets, minced
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise (about 3 oz.)
• 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 Tbs. capers, rinsed
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 2 tsp. red-wine vinegar

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Season the snapper all over with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the sauce.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over mediumlow heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not golden, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juice, anchovies, olives, 2 Tbs. of the basil, capers, and pepper flakes to the pan. Bring the sauce to a brisk simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are tender and the juices have reduced to a saucy consistency, about 8 minutes.

Nestle the snapper fillets into the sauce, spooning some on top to keep the fish moist. Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Tightly cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and braise in the oven until the fish is almost cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness.

With a slotted spatula, transfer the snapper to 4 shallow serving bowls. If the sauce seems too thin, simmer over medium-high heat until thickened to your liking. Stir the remaining 1 Tbs. basil and the mint and vinegar into the sauce and spoon it over the fish.

Whole Roasted Snapper with Tamarind

For this Indonesian-inspired dish, I like a firm-textured fish such as red snapper, striped bass, or grouper. Although the fish is traditionally deep-fried, I simplify and lighten things a bit by roasting it instead. If you don’t have time to marinate the fish overnight, simply bake the fish in its marinade for full effect and serve the pan juices as the sauce.

• 6 oz. compressed tamarind pulp (a 3/4-inch-thick piece about 2x4 inches)
• 2 cups hot water
• 8 large cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced (about 2 Tbs.)
• 3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 Tbs. chopped shallots
• 2 dried hot chiles (or more to taste), coarsely chopped with seeds
• 2 Tbs. palm sugar (available canned in Asian markets) or brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 whole snapper (about 2 lb.), boned and well cleaned, scales and gills removed
• 3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced, or a 28-oz. can of whole tomatoes, juice and seeds squeezed out, flesh coarsely chopped
• A few sprigs of fresh cilantro

Soak the tamarind in the hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Put the tamarind pulp in a fine sieve set over the bowl of soaking liquid and press hard to extract as much of the pulp as possible. Stir in the garlic, ginger, shallots, chiles, and sugar and set aside.

Lightly salt the fish inside and out. Make 4 diagonal cuts about 1/2-inch deep on both sides of the fish. Put the fish in a large dish, pour the marinade over it, cover, and refrigerate. Marinate overnight (or 30 minutes, if you’re going to bake the fish in the sauce), turning the fish occasionally to ensure even marinating.

Heat the oven to 375°F. If you’ve marinated the fish overnight, transfer it to a baking dish and reserve the marinade. Scatter the tomatoes over and around the fish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the flesh feels firm and looks opaque with no signs of pink. (If you have only let the fish marinate for 30 minutes, put the fish, marinade, and tomatoes into the baking dish. Bake until done, about 45 minutes.)

While the fish is baking, put the reserved marinade in a heavy, medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and keep warm. When the fish is cooked, drain off any juices that have collected in the baking dish and add them to the sauce. Transfer the cooked fish to a heated serving platter and coat the fish with the sauce. Garnish with the cilantro.

Soy-Glazed Snapper

If you can’t find snapper, choose any other moderately firm textured, delicately flavored fish, such as rockfish, sea bass, striped bass, or grouper.

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sake
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• Fermented black bean sauce to taste (optional)

For the snapper:

• 3 lb. whole snapper
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Oil for brushing

To make the glaze, combine the soy sauce, sake, honey, ginger, garlic, mustard, and sesame oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer until reduced to a thick glaze. Stir in the black bean sauce, if using.

Heat the grill, making sure it’s clean. The coals should be medium hot. Baste the inside of the fish with some of the soy glaze; reserve the extra glaze. Layer the cilantro, garlic, and ginger in the belly cavity of the fish; season with salt and pepper. Wrap three or four pieces of kitchen twine around the fish; knot each piece tightly and trim any excess twine. Brush the outside of the fish with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook on a medium-hot grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes per side. Liberally baste the grilled fish with the reserved soy glaze before serving.