Snapper Vera Cruz
Recipe courtesy of Billy Kistler, Executive Chef, Reunion Golf & Country Club, Madison, Miss.
Ingredients
- 6 ozs. red snapper fillets - 4 ea.
- all purpose flour - 1/2 cup
- olive oil - 1/2 cup
- vidalia onion - 1, diced
- roasted garlic - 3 Tbsps.
- fresh tomatoes - 3 cups, diced
- red wine vinegar - 1 Tbsp.
- bay leaf - 1 ea.
- parsley - 1/4 cup, chopped and squeezed dry
- fresh oregano leaves - 2 Tbsps.
- Castelveltrano olives - 1/4 cup
- dried cranberries - 2 Tbsps.
- jalapeno peppers - 4, grilled
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
Procedure:
- In a large saucepot, add 1/4 cup olive oil to heat. Add onions and sweat until translucent. Add garlic and tomatoes. Let cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have released all their juices and the mixture is beginning to thicken up.
- Add vinegar, bay leaves, parsley, oregano, olives and cranberries. Simmer another five minutes or so.
- While the sauce is simmering, season snapper with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet; add the rest of the olive oil. Once the skillet is almost at the smoke point, sear fish quickly on one side, then turn the fish over. Add the tomato sauce mixture to the fish and let simmer until fish is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Remove fish to a serving plate and pour some sauce on each fillet. Garnish with the grilled jalapeno peppers.
- Serve with jasmine rice or parsley white potatoes. Always have some nice bread to sop up the juices as well
