Rustic Red Snapper

Rustic Red Snapper

The boys and I love fish and shellfish. The diverse, strange creatures from the planet’s waters, whether from the seas, the great lakes, or the beautiful, rolling rivers of North Carolina, you can’t beat the smell and taste of a freshly caught river trout, salmon or a succulent oyster.

Having grown up in the North East of England, we would visit the beaches of South Shields, Seahouses, and Eyemouth off the coast of Scotland. We’d holiday in my auntie’s caravan in Warkworth near Amble. This is still one of my favorite places to visit each time I go back to England because there are so many fond and happy memories. At the stalls along the beach, we would buy potted shrimp, steamed crab legs, and freshly battered and cooked fish and chips. My father loved winkles, and it was our job to scour the rocks around the beaches and fill our sand buckets with as many as of the edible sea snails as we could physically carry. He would later get the biggest pan in the caravan, fill it with salted water, bring the water to the boil and tip all the fresh wrinkles into it. He boiled them for 10 minutes, drained off the water, and tipped the cooked winkles onto a newspaper covered table. He sprinkled salt and black pepper on them, and then we would all dig in with our own special pin taken from mam’s dress making box. To tell the truth, my mother always gave this a miss, preferring to have a sandwich as we ate all the “snots” as she called them. We ate until we could not eat anymore. These were fun, good, family times.

So many people are put off buying, preparing and cooking seafood. Here are a few pointers to help you buy the freshest fish or shellfish:

The flesh of fish and shellfish are very different to that of animal flesh or poultry. Fish and shellfish are cold blooded as they live their lives in temperatures equivalent of a refrigerator. They spoil very quickly, unless they are kept alive or kept ice cold. So buy your fish from a seafood specialist with a high product turnover.

Always ask where the fish has come from, the nearer the better. Bring along a cooler full of ice to keep the product as cold as possible after buying.

Avoid fish or shellfish with a strong odor. Fresh fish smells of the seashore.

Choose whole fish if you can and have the market clean and portion it for you. Look for glossy, taut-looking skin, bright full eyes, and red inner gills.

For shellfish, choose live lobsters and crabs that look lively when touched or handled.

Clams, mussels and oysters should be stored in a shallow tank, not completely submerged in water or in a plastic bag. The shells should be closed. If open, tap the shell and it should close. If it doesn’t, toss it out as the sea animal is dead.

Pre-shucked oysters whose surrounding liquid is clear, scallops that are slightly off-white to slightly orange and not too glossy, and very white, glossy scallops have all been treated with chemicals.

Squid and octopus are normally frozen and thawed. Buy small amounts as these are more tender and easier to cook.

Always store fish and shellfish on crushed ice in the refrigerator and use as soon as possible.

To prepare fish:

Always clean thoroughly removing any scales. Trim off any inner organs from the belly, and remove as many bones as you can. Rewash and pat dry.

If frozen, allow shellfish to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Scrub the shells with a brush to remove any grit or slime.

Remove the vein in shrimp and lobster tails. This is the digestive tract of the creature. Do not eat it.

Fish and shellfish are typically cooked at 120^◦F to 140^◦F (or 50 to 60^◦C), just until done.

Fish and shellfish are generally a very lean, high protein, low calorie food with outstanding health benefits. As I’m using red snapper in this recipe, let’s talk about white flesh fish. One three ounce portion of white fish generally provides about 20 grams of lean protein for less than 100 calories. Rich in B vitamins, the three ounce portion provides about half of the daily value of this vital nutrient along with the trace mineral selenium, which is a cancer fighting mineral.

We eat fish at least twice a week, some times more depending on the season. In the spring and summer, fish is always a light dinner that can be enjoyed on numerous occasions during the week. Here’s a quick and easy recipe to try at home. I’m using red snapper in this recipe, but try any fish that you like. Give it a try and see what you think. Enjoy!

Rustic Red Snapper

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small Vidalia onion, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

4x 6-ounce red snapper fillets

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup vermouth or dry white wine

1/3 cup low sodium fish stock or chicken stock

1 teaspoon capers, drained and rinsed

1 large heirloom tomato, cored and sliced

6 each green and black olives, rinsed, pitted and chopped

A few small basil leaves for garnish

How To Make:

1. Take a large skillet and add the oil, place over a medium heat and add the onions, oregano, basil, and garlic slices. Cook without coloring for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Season the sea bass with salt and pepper, place into the skillet along with the vermouth and stock, bring to a simmer. Add the capers, tomatoes and olives, cover with a lid and gently cook      for 5 to 6 minutes or until the fish is cooked to your desired degree of doneness.
3. Just before serving scatter over the baby basil leaves. Serve with couscous, a simple side salad or a thick slice of warm crusty whole-wheat bread to soak up all the lovely cooking juices.