Maui Style Snapper Recipes

UNCLE GLENN'S ONAGA (STEAMED RED SNAPPER WITH SOMEN)

Steps:

• The day before cooking, submerge the garlic in the oil in a small container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to cook, check the fish for any remaining scales and scrape off, paying special attention to the head and tail. Rinse the fish and pat dry.
• Boil the somen according to the package instructions, rinsing and draining well. While the noodles are still damp, arrange them on a serving platter and cover with plastic wrap.
• Loosely toss together the celery, carrot, scallions, onion and cilantro leaves in a small mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature (if refrigerated, the hot oil added at the end won't sizzle). In another small bowl, mix the chung choi, ginger and cilantro stems, and stuff 1/2 cup of the mixture inside the fish cavity, including the head. Pat the remaining few tablespoons over both sides of the fish's body.
• Set a steamer rack or other metal rack inside a wok or roasting pan large enough to accomodate the fish and set on the stove, straddling two burners if needed. Have ready the wok's lid or sheets of foil large enough to cover the roasting pan tightly. Add enough water to come up to the rack (1 to 1 1/2 inches). Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, stack 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to hold the fish. Turn up and crimp the foil at the edges to create a boat just large enough to fit the fish. The raised edges will catch the drippings, which will make the sauce. Put the foil boat on the rack over the boiling water, then lay the stuffed fish on the foil. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil and let steam for 15 to 18 minutes (6 minutes per pound). Don't lift the lid to check on the fish, as this will cause the temperature to drop. Adjust the temperature as needed if the lid begins to clatter. Uncover and check to see if the fish is done: The eyes should be white and bulging, the mouth slightly agape and a chopstick inserted into the flesh should slide in easily. Turn off the heat.
• Using two long spatulas, gently transfer the fish to the somen platter, laying it on top of the noodles. Lift the foil boat out of the steamer, careful not to spill any sauce, and pour the sauce into a small bowl. Add the oyster sauce and scallop powder (or fish sauce) and stir. Pour the sauce over the fish, then cover the fish with the vegetable and herb garnish.
• Pour the reserved garlic oil into a small saucepan. Heat over high until the garlic turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and discard the garlic. Slosh the soy sauce over the garnished fish, then carefully pour on the hot garlic oil, letting it sizzle. Serve immediately.

TIRADO DE MAHI MAHI

Steps:

• Whisk together the juice, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the onions and jalapeno, toss to coat and let sit at room temperature while you grill the fish.
• Heat a grill (gas or charcoal) to medium-high heat. Brush the fish on one side with canola oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, the paprika and 2 teaspoons cumin. Flip, brush the second side with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the spice-rubbed side down on the grill, cover and cook until the first side is crusty and golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook uncovered another 5 or so minutes, until just barely cooked through. Place the fish on a platter and top with the onion mixture. Let the fish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• While the fish cures, make the avocado and mango topping. Put the avocado and mango in a large bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, the cilantro, and salt and pepper and toss gently to combine. Scrape most of the onion mixture off the fish, spoon the mango mixture across the top, garnish with whole cilantro leaves and serve.

PAN SEARED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Rinse snapper under cold water, and pat dry. In a shallow bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, rice vinegar, mustard, honey, green onions, and ginger.
• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Dip snapper fillets in marinade to coat both sides, and place in skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Pour remaining marinade into skillet. Reduce heat, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

MACADAMIA NUT CRUSTED ONAGA (RUBY SNAPPER) WITH MAUI ONION RELISH

Steps:

• First, make the Maui Onion Relish. In a nonreactive mixing bowl, stir together all the relish ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease or oil a baking dish large enough to hold the fish fillets side by side.
• Evenly spread the chopped macadamia nuts on a large dinner plate. Season a fish fillet with salt and pepper, and brush it evenly on both sides with 1/4 of the butter mixture. Dredge it in the nuts to crust it evenly on both sides, and transfer to the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining fillets, butter mixture, and nuts.
• Bake the fish fillets until they are cooked through and the nut crust is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon the Maui Onion Relish onto 4 serving plates and, with a spatula, transfer a fillet to each plate, placing it on top of the relish. Serve immediately.
• Prepare the Ginger Butter by putting all the ingredients in a food processor with the metal blade and processing until smooth. Set aside at room temperature.;

PAN ROASTED ONAGA (RED SNAPPER) WITH CHARRED SUGARLOAF PINEAPPLE, HAWAIIAN HEARTS OF PALM AND KAFIR LIME JUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the red snapper into 4 equal portions, approximately 6 ounces each. Score skin to prevent curling. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat a stainless saute pan on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Lay fish in pan, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes or until skin starts to color. Turn fish and cook for 1 minute. Place pan in oven and roast for 7 minutes.
• To make lime jus, remove fish from pan, add fish bones, carrots, celery, onion, 1/2 of ginger, and lime leaves. Return to heat and saute for 1 minute. Add water and fish sauce and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth, return to heat, and add the soy sauce.
• Preheat another stainless steel pan on high heat. Coat pineapple slices and heart of palm with peanut oil. Char in hot pan until hearts of palm are light brown and pineapple is dark brown.
• To serve return fish to oven to briefly warm. Place fish, skin side up, in a large bowls, lay alternating slices of pineapple and hearts of palm on fish, ladle lime jus around fish, float green onion, ginger, and cilantro in jus, and top pineapple with basil leaves.

MAUI-STYLE SNAPPER

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. In a large bowl, toss the pineapple with the hot sauce. Grill the fruit slices over very low heat until browned and caramelized, 10 minutes per side (don't let the slices blacken or burn). Cut the pineapple rings into small wedges and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the oil, lime juice, and salt and marinate the snapper strips in the mixture for 5 minutes (the oil will help prevent the fish from sticking to the grill). Once the pineapple is done, grill the fish over medium-high heat until cooked through, turning once, about 6 minutes total. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
• To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the lettuce, fish, pineapple, and avocado equally between the tortillas and top with salsa. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some lettuce, filling, avocado, and salsa, and eat.