FISH SURPRISE!

I THINK I MENTIONED THAT I WAS AT THE STRAND bookstore last week. While perusing the stacks, I found a fabulous cookbook (yes, another one!) by Patrick O'Connell, chef of The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia. Price? $4.00. And what treasures I found in this cookbook. This dish is inspired by one of the dishes found in the book.

His recipe calls for red mullet but I had used red snapper instead, and I improvised with the Gazpacho, so . . . Let me tell you, this was one of the most delicious meals I've made and it was incredibly simple; and completely clean food! No starch, no butter, no fuss. Simply delicious!

RED SNAPPER WITH GAZPACHO SALSA

I used the last of the Gazpacho that I made the other day, strained it in a china cap strainer and let it drain in a bowl while making the fish.

Take anywhere between 4 and 16 filets of red snapper, depending on how many people you're serving (I allow two pieces of fish for each person). Salt and pepper both sides. Heat a pan with some oil, fry each piece of fish, skin side down for about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Take the strained juice and pour a little in each bowl, drizzle some olive oil around the juice and spoon a mound of salsa in the center. Arrange two pieces of the fish over the salsa and serve immediately. 

Bon appetit!