Island Frydays Spicy Escovitch Red Snapper Recipes

KEVIN NURSE'S JERK RED SNAPPER AND ISLAND SALSA

Steps:

• Preheat grill.
• Put all the spices, garlic, scallions, peppers, lime juice, salt, to taste, and a dash of soy sauce in a blender. Combine ingredients with oil to make a paste. Score the fish, and then rub the marinade into the fish. Place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove the snapper from the bag and place on a greased grill, cooking each side for 7 minutes without flipping.
• While the fish is cooking, brush the zucchini with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Put zucchini slices and whole bell peppers on grill, cooking until the zucchini is tender and red pepper blackened. Set zucchini aside and let the red pepper steam in a covered bowl for a few minutes before removing the skins. Serve vegetables with the whole fish, garnished with Island Salsa.
• Combine the chopped the fruit and onion in a bowl. Stir in the red wine vinegar and cilantro. Then add salt and pepper, to taste. The salsa will be served on the side to cool off the spice of the fish.

ESCOVITCH SNAPPER

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees F.
• Score the fish on both sides with a knife. Sprinkle inside and out with the Seafood Spice Rub. Coat in batter if using (see Cook's Note).
• Fry the fish until the skin, or batter, is crispy, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Serve with Escovitch Dressing.
• In a food processor, pulse together the pimento seeds, adobo, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, black pepper and white pepper. Add the olive oil and process until the mixture has a deep red color, about 45 seconds.
• Combine the vinegar and 3 cups water in a saucepan. Add the sugar, pimento seeds and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, onions, peppers and thyme. Remove the pan from the heat and let the vegetables cook slightly in the hot liquid (they should still be firm).

SPICY RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• On a large piece of wax paper, mix together paprika, cayenne, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, basil, garlic, and oregano.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with oil.
• Brush both sides of snapper fillets with butter mixture, reserve remaining.
• Coat both sides of fillets with seasoning mixture.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on it.
• Drizzle half of remaining butter mixture on one side of the fillets and place fillets butter side down in pan.
• Cook over high heat until the fish is deeply browned.

ROASTED SNAPPER, ISLAND EDITION

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with a large cast-iron skillet or small rimmed sheet pan (an aluminum quarter sheet pan is ideal) on the middle rack. Do this at least half an hour before cooking.
• Grind the allspice berries coarsely with a mortar and pestle. Add the garlic and grind to a chunky paste. Add the ginger and grind until broken up, then add the Scotch bonnet and grind to a paste.
• Stir in the thyme, half the lime zest, half the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the oil.
• Cut 5 diagonal, shallow gashes across each side of the fish from the head to the tail. Try not to cut more than 1/3 of an inch deep. The cuts should be diagonal from belly to back but also diagonally into the flesh...on the bias.
• Lightly lube the fish with oil. Sprinkle with the remaining half of the salt, being careful to salt the cavity as well.
• Smear the paste onto the fish with a spoon, working it into the gashes. Repeat on the second side.
• Carefully place the fish on the preheated pan and roast for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork.
• To remove, carefully work a metal spatula (a slotted "fish turner" is ideal) and carefully move to a cutting board or platter to serve with the lime wedges. Serving in pieces is virtually impossible so just let people eat directly off the board or platter.
• Consume...careful of the bones

JAMAICAN ESCOVITCH RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Wash red snapper thoroughly with water and lime juice. Let soak in lime water with 1 teaspoon black pepper in the refrigerator, 10 to 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Mix flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Pat snapper dry with paper towels and lightly coat both sides with flour mixture.
• Heat oil in a heavy frying pan until very hot. Deep-fry snapper until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Pour out all but 3 tablespoons of the oil.
• Add onion, Scotch bonnet pepper, whole peppercorns, and allspice to the oil in the frying pan. Cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Pour in vinegar and stir until heated through. Add ketchup and simmer for 1 minute. Pour over hot snapper and let soak in. Serve hot or cold.

ISLAND FRYDAYS SPICY ESCOVITCH RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Sprinkle the snapper all over with the fish seasoning. Combine the pimento seeds, peppers, carrots and onions in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and transfer to a bowl.
• Fill a deep fryer with oil and set on 350 degrees F or coat a frying pan with oil and heat over high heat. Deep-fry the fish until golden, 5 to 8 minutes, or pan-fry until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
• Dunk the fish in the sauce reserved in the bowl, then transfer the fish to a serving platter and decorate with the vegetables.