Red snapper is quite the intimidating-looking fish before cooking, but once it’s been prepared properly, it creates a beautiful dish with an abundance of flavor. This highly versatile and firm-fleshed fish is the perfect entrée protein for seafood lovers the world over.
Makes: 3 servings
Serving size: 5oz (140g) fillet
Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1lb (450g) fresh red snapper fillets
large pinch of salt, plus extra
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon, divided
chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
1 Place the fillets skin side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour. (This dries out the skin and is a crucial step.)
2 In a stainless steel skillet on the stovetop over high heat, heat the salt and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil until the oil begins to smoke. Remove the skillet from the stovetop and wipe with a clean kitchen towel. (This creates a temporary seal on the skillet—a makeshift nonstick surface.)
3 Season both sides of the fillets with salt. Return the skillet to the stovetop and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once the oil is smoking, add 1 fillet, lowering it into the skillet skin side down and away from you. Press gently with a spatula until the fillet no longer wants to curl up and the entire skin side is flush with the skillet, ensuring complete and direct contact.
4 Cook the fillet until nearly cooked through, about 3 minutes, pressing periodically with a spatula. (The fish should still be opaque and a bit raw at the thickest part.) Gently turn the fish (working away from you so the oil doesn’t splash on you), remove the skillet from the stovetop, and allow to cook off the heat for about 1 minute more. Repeat this cooking process with the remaining fillets.
5 Remove the fillets from the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Splash an equal amount of lemon juice on each fillet, sprinkle an equal amount of parsley on top of each fillet, and serve immediately.
per serving