MORE FISH

LAST WEEK, a friend came down to New York from Boston to attend a performance of Tristan und Isolde with me at the Metropolitan Opera. Considering that the opera began at 6:30 and didn't end until close to midnight, I decided that we should eat a light lunch before we set off on our way to hear  Wagner's most erotic - and tragic - opera.


This friend, while not being totally picky about what she eats, does eat like a bird so I thought that fish was the most appropriate thing to make. We had it with roasted mini peppers and paper thin slices of fennel dressed in olive oil with salt and pepper. It was the perfect thing to eat: substantial and not too heavy. 

RED SNAPPER

As you can see from the new background of my blog, only the head remained!

I like a whole fish roasted in parchment with citrus and soy sauce and that's precisely what I did. It's extremely delicious, even with the bones to contend with, and oh so very easy to make.

To begin: tear off enough parchment paper to line a roasting pan big enough to fit the fish laying flat. Tear off another piece as well. Rinse the fish (I used Red Snapper, but Mullet or Sea Bass or Branzino, i.e., any fish fitting the bill with do), salt and pepper the inside and insert a couple slices of lime inside the fish with some diced ginger and cut up scallions. Place the fish on top of the first piece of parchment. Salt and pepper the fish, strew more ginger, scallions and limes on top of the fish.

Prepare a marinade by mixing the following ingredients:

3 tsp. Soy Sauce (preferable gluten-free from Japan)

1 tsp. Oyster Sauce

1 tsp. Mirin

1 tsp. Rice Wine

2 tsp. minced ginger

1 large clove minced garlic (optional)

1/2 tsp. hot chili paste (optional)

Baste the fish with the marinade and generously pour the rest all over the fish and the bottom of the parchment paper. Place the second piece of parchment paper over the fish and roll up the edges of the paper and then seal by turning the fish over. Place in the roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes in a 350º oven. Open up the paper when ready and slide the fish out onto a serving platter. The juices should follow the fish right into the dish. 

The only thing missing was some good rice to soak up the juices.

Sayonara!