Here is a classic Mexican dish, a great favorite of ours, that I demonstrated this week at the community center, along with the Smoked Salmon Ceviche. Red Snapper Veracruz makes a good buffet fish in that it will hold awhile, warm and moist. For a more elegant dinner table presentation, bake the fish whole and then separate and serve it at the table. Taste the sauce as you go. If prepared too hot it will drive out the great taste of the red snappera common fault in preparing boldly seasoned dishes.
RED SNAPPER VERACRUZ
Yield: serves 4 – 6
See Abbreviations, if needed
• 2-3 lbs red snapper filets
• 2 limes, juiced
• 3 14 0z. cans of very best quality canned tomatoes
• 2 oz EVOO
• 2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, pureed
• BG (bay and thyme leaves, pepper corns + oregano,
+ cilantro)
• 3 jalapeno chili peppers (seeds & veins removed)
diced or 1/4/C of pickled jalapeno’s
• 1/3 C sliced green or black olives
• 1/3 C capers, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 – 1/2 t cayenne (optional)
• S/P to taste
• 2 C rice
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Preheat oven to 350F
1. Cut fish into 5-7 oz pieces, prick, salt & marinade with lime juicefor a couple hours
2. Sweat onions & garlic in EVOO
3. Add the tomatoes, BG, jalapeno, half the olives and capers, S/P and cayenne
4. BTB and then simmer for about 45 minutes or until the tomatoes have lost their sharp acidity
5. If necessary, add some water to thin, return to boil briefly, adjust seasoning
6. If desired, reduce chunkiness of the sauce with a blender (stick blender works best here)
7. Now, place fish fillets into an oiled large gratinée or a half sheet pan
8. Top fish with the sauce and the remaining olives and capers
9. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes (20 minutes convection} uncovered, bake to about 145F or fork test for flakiness
10. Place a generous bed of rice on a heated plate
11. Remove fish from the oven and place each fillet and sauce over the rice
