Whole Roasted Red Snapper
This easy and flavorful roasted snapper makes an impressive centerpiece to a shareable meal.
Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2-4 servings
Ingredients
1 whole red snapper, cleaned, about 3 pounds
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 head fennel, divided
½ red onion
1 lemon
1 lime
4 whole jalapeno or serrano chilis
2 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
How to make it
Start with a whole fish, if red snapper isn’t available, any round fish will do. Try to find something local and in season if possible. (I always try to do my best to purchase whatever is the most sustainable for the environment. You can refer to your local source of information such as ( ) if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area. ) Trim and clean the fish or ask your fish monger or butcher to scale, gut, and trim the fins of the fish for you. Rinse the fish inside and out and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.
With a sharp knife, or mandoline, carefully cut the fennel and red onion into thin slices. Soak in ice water for 10 minutes. This helps them to get nice and crunchy. After 10 minutes, drain on a paper towel to dry. If you have the fennel fronds, save these for later. They make a great addition to salads or salsa.
Cut the lemon and lime in half. Turn a grill or sauté pan to high heat and char one half of the lemon and one half of the lime. Save these to season the cooked fish.
Thinly slice the remaining halves of lemon and lime.
Stuff the cavity of the fish with the lemon and lime slices, as well as half of the red onion, and half of the shaved fennel.
Place the fish onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet or straight onto a cast iron pan, add the chilis to the pan and drizzle everything with some olive oil and bake at 400°F for about 12-15 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted into the flesh of the fish with no resistance.
To serve:
Gently transfer the cooked fish to a large platter and garnish with the charred chilis and citrus.
Top the fish with the thinly sliced scallions.
In a small bowl toss the remaining fennel and red onion slices with olive oil and salt and use to garnish the fish.
Squeeze the lemon and lime over the fish and enjoy!
Just be careful for bones.
Handmade Orrichiette “Little Ears” with Romanesco and Chili
These adorable and delicious short little pasta shapes are fun to make and have the most addictive chewy texture. If you have kids, get them to help you shape these. It is a great way to get them involved in the kitchen.
Time: 1 hour
Yield: 2-4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups semolina flour*
2 cups OO (pasta) flour*
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup warm water
1 head romanesco cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons whole butter
½ lemon
2 ounce hunk of parmesan
To make the pasta:
Mix the flours together in a bowl.
Add salt to warm water so that it tastes slightly salty.
In a kitchen aid or large bowl, add flours, then slowly drizzle in water while stirring until a dough forms. Knead on the table for a couple of minutes or until smooth.
Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
Forming the oricchiete:
To shape the pasta, cut each ball of dough into 8 portions. Roll one portion at a time into long ropes. Keep the remaining pieces covered with a damp towel.
Using a bench scraper or a knife cut each rope into little pebbles about a 1/2 inch long. Using the back of a butter knife, push down on the pebble of dough until it flips over and creates a “little ear” like shape.
Continue until all your dough is shaped.
Finishing your dish:
First of all, we need to cook the pasta. So, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, add some salt so that it tastes like the ocean.
Add your beautiful oricchiette to the water and stir so that they float around in the water with lots of space. They will take about 5 minutes to cook. They are done when the pasta still has a chewy texture, but the dough doesn’t stay stuck in your teeth.
Meanwhile: We need to heat the broccolini and build a sauce. So put a pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon whole butter, crushed red pepper, and roasted broccoli. Once everything is warm, use a ladle to add 4 oz of your pasta cooking water to the pan and toss in 1Tbs of butter to thicken your sauce.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Season with salt. Finish your pasta dish with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy with a friend or family!
*notes: specialty flour can usually be found in the international aisle of the grocery store or at your local specialty food store.