Roasted Red Snapper With Thai Basil Recipes

MOIST ROASTED WHOLE RED SNAPPER WITH TOMATOES, BASIL AND OREGANO

Steps:

• Stuff and cook the snapper: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. If the fins are still on the fish, use kitchen scissors to cut them off (they just fall apart when cooked). Sprinkle both the inside and the outside of the fish liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, whole basil leaves, oregano sprigs, garlic and lemon slices.
• Using a very large (14-inch) saute pan or a small roasting pan (oven safe) heat about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the fish and cook until well browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the fish over-use a large spatula and grab the tail if it's not too hot-and cook on the other side until well browned, about 2 minutes. Take the fish out of the pan and use wadded paper towels to wipe the pan clean of the oil.
• Cook the vegetables: Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, a pinch of red pepper flakes, the tomatoes, potatoes, chopped oregano and a pinch of salt and cook until the tomatoes begin to lose some of their liquid, about 3 minutes. Return the fish to the pan, laying it on top of the vegetables and drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over it. Add the chicken broth to the pan and squeeze the remaining lemon half into the sauce in the pan. Cook on the stove another 3 to 4 minutes, basting the fish with the sauce and moving some of the tomatoes and potatoes in the pan on top of the fish.
• Finish cooking the fish in the oven safe pan in the oven 18 to 19 minutes. (To check for doneness, push the head down gently in the area between the nose and the top of the head; when the head easily moves away from the back of the neck, it is ready.)
• To serve: Remove the fish from the oven and carefully transfer it to a sided platter, pouring any liquid in its cavity back into the pan, and keep the fish warm. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and cook the sauce and vegetables for a minute or two to concentrate the flavors. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, the chopped basil and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the fish and serve, using a large spoon to remove servings off the fish. (Don't forget to turn it over to eat off the other side!)

OVEN ROASTED RED SNAPPER WITH LEMON, TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Clean the fish by removing the gills and the small belly flap, slice all the vegetables thin.
• On the bottom of a long gratin dish place the sliced fennel cover with the fish. Cover the fish with the slices of tomatoes, lemon slices, leaves of basil, add the broth and season to taste. Cook the fish in a 450 degrees oven for about 20 minutes. Drain off some of the natural juices, add to a blender and drizzle with olive oil to emulsify. Drizzle back over fish and serve as-is.

BAKED SNAPPER WITH CHILIES, GINGER AND BASIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Stuff the cavity of the snapper with 1/2 cup basil leaves and set aside. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Place the snapper in the skillet, and quickly brown on both sides, about 1 minute total. Place the fish into the roasting pan, and sprinkle with fish sauce. Reserve the peanut oil in the skillet.
• Bake fish in preheated oven until the flesh flakes easily with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining peanut oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chile peppers, and yellow pepper and cook until the peppers have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, rice vinegar, water, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until thickened to desired consistency. Pour the sauce over the snapper, and garnish with the remaining basil leaves to serve.

SNAPPER WITH ROASTED GRAPE TOMATOES, GARLIC, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, pepper flakes, and salt, to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the tomatoes get juicy, about 15 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and toss with the basil.
• Dry the fish very well all over. To keep the fish from curling in the pan, lightly slash a cross-hatch pattern into the skin of the fish with a sharp knife. Brush the rounded flesh side of the fish with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the fish, seasoned side down, in the oil, and cook undisturbed over high heat, until the fish turns both opaque along the edges and golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Lightly salt the skin side of the fish. Flip the snapper and turn off the heat and let the fish cook in the residual heat of the pan until the fillets are firm but still juicy, about 1 minute more.
• Divide the fish among 4 plates. Top with the tomatoes and serve.

OVEN ROASTED RED SNAPPER FILLETS WITH TOMATOES AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the tomatoes, basil, onions, and olives in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Season both sides of the fillets with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and Essence. Arrange the fish on the baking sheet, followed by the tomato mixture and then the lemon slices. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each fillet.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the snapper is cooked through. To serve, place a portion of Rice Pilaf on an entree plate. Use a spatula to remove the fish, along with the tomatoes, onions and lemons from the baking sheet and place over the Rice Pilaf. Drizzle with tomato water, if desired, and garnish each fillet with a chiffonade of fresh basil.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until opaque and nutty in aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt, stir well, and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the rice from the oven and let stand, undisturbed, for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the green onions, if desired. Serve hot.
• Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add just enough olive oil for flavor and season with salt and pepper, to taste.