Braising fish or meat is a great way to make a complex sauce that will accent the natural flavors of food. You can substitute the red snapper for another light white fish, such as sole or rockfish. While you can make this recipe in multiple dishes, ideally you will have a cast iron skillet that is ovenproof or a Dutch oven that can be cooked in the oven or over the stovetop as this will yield the best sauce, not to mention make clean-up easier.
Serves 4 as an entree
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 red snapper fillets, about 8 ounces each
- Salt
- Pepper
- ¼ cup white wine
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup chopped scaliions
- 1 ½ cup coconut milk, divided
- 2 T. lemon zest
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup almond meal, for garnishing
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Rub the fillets with salt and pepper and place them in a single layer in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet. (Essentially, you need something that can be heated on the stove and put in the oven. If you have nothing like this, you can always cook the fist partially on the stove and then transfer the fish and liquid to another ovenproof dish.)
2. Mix together the white wine, lemon juice, water and scallions and pour this mixture over the fish. Heat the fish in the Dutch oven on the stove over high heat. Bring the liquid just to a simmer, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. With a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the fillets to individual plates.
3. Place the Dutch oven or skillet back on the stove over high heat, stirring until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, lemon zest and cilantro and cook for about 3 minutes more, or until desired temperature and consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste and pour over the fillets. Serve warm, garnishing with the almond meal and extra cilantro if desired.
