Herb-crusted Red Snapper with Pine Nut-Herb Sauce
Pine nut sauce, laced with herbs and wine, finishes this dish, with the seared snapper crowning aromatic vegetables. The choice of turnips, green asparagus tips, and purple asparagus tips provides both color and lots of flavor.
Ingredients
- Sauce
- Pine nuts - 2 tablespoons
- Red Bell Pepper - 1
- Cilantro - 1⁄4 cup, fresh, stemmed and chopped
- Thyme - 1⁄4 cup, fresh, stemmed and chopped
- Parsley - 2 tablespoons, stemmed and chopped
- Fresh Dill - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Fresh Chives - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Shallots - 1 tablespoon, peeled and minced
- Black bean garlic paste - 1 tablespoon, minced
- White Wine - 1⁄4 cup
- Capers - 2 tablespoons
- Fish stock - 1⁄4 cup, (see Basics) or bottled clam juice
- Key lime juice - 2 tablespoons
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Vegetables
- Olive Oil - 1⁄4 cup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Turnips - 1⁄2 cup, peeled and julienned (1⁄4-inch julienne)
- Green asparagus tips - 1 cup
- Purple Asparagus Tips - 1⁄2 cup
- Fresh Tarragon - 2 tablespoons, stemmed and chopped
- Dry white wine - 1⁄2 cup
- For the Fish
- Red snapper fillets - 4, 6-ounce, skin on, scales removed
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
- Paprika
- Angelica Pieces - 1 teaspoon (see Note)
- Reserved fresh herbs
Instructions
To make the sauce: Preheat the oven to 300 F. In a small heatproof dish toast the pine nuts until just browned. Remove and reserve. Prepare a grill or heat the broiler. Roast the pepper over the grill or on a pan under the broiler, turning from side to side until the skin is blackened and blistered.
Transfer the pepper to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. After 10 minutes, remove the pepper from the bowl cut in half, remove the stems and seeds, and peel off the skin. Cut the flesh into narrow 1⁄4-inch strips. Combine the fresh herbs, portion in two, and reserve half to be used later for the fish cooking.
In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the garlic just begins to brown, being careful not to burn the garlic. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the roasted pepper strips, pine nuts, and capers. Pour in the fish stock or clam juice and key lime juice. Boil down the juices to reduce slightly and thicken. Add the half portion of fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.
To make the vegetables: In a large saute pan or skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the julienned turnips, season with salt and pepper, and cook 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the green and purple asparagus tips, toss to combine, and cook 1 minute. Add the chopped tarragon and continue to cook another 3 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have blended. If the pan gets too dry during the final cooking, add some or all of the white wine.
To cook the fish: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Rub the fillets with the olive oil, and season with salt, paprika, and the angelica. Use the remaining half of the herbs to rub both sides of the fillets. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and sear the fillets 1 or 2 minutes on each side, turning carefully. Remove the skillet to the oven and finish cooking the fillets about 4 to 5 minutes or until just done. The fish will be done when just springy to the touch and there is no red color when you peer inside the fish cavity.
To assemble: Heap a couple of tablespoons of the vegetables in the center of each plate. Crown with a snapper fillet, and spoon the pine nut sauce on top. Garnish with fresh garlic chives and fresh thyme.
Note: Angelica, often referred to as the sweet “herb of the angels” is a member of the parsley family. Grown extensively in Europe, it has pale green, celerylike stalks, and is often used in the production of liqueurs.
