The best present I’ve gotten so far this year is a couple of beautiful vermillion snapper, just the right size for my grilled fish basket. (You’re my new BFF, Skip Bouler! Your wife said that was okay!)
Life here is nuts right now–in a good way, more info to come!–so I’m not going to spend a ton of time going on and on about gifts from the Gulf. Nor the joys of fresh-caught fish. Or even about friends who will come over and grill gifted fresh Gulf fish over charcoal when you’re not sure what you’re doing, and then are still willing to hang out and eat dinner even if you insist on taking photos first. (Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bob Martin!)
Instead, I’m just going to leave these pretty pictures and their very easy recipes here. There’s lots of lime and other citrus in this menu, but I promise it’s not too much. It all makes for a very refreshing and beautiful summer dinner that will make you look like a pro.
Grilled Snapper
This size fish is just right for two adults.
1 whole vermillion snapper–about 2 lbs.–cleaned and scaled
2 t. kosher salt
1 lemon, thinly sliced
3 scallions in 1- or 2-inch pieces
¼ cup olive oil
Score the fish by making two or three parallel ¼” deep cuts on each side. Pat the fish dry and rub inside and out with the salt. Stuff the cavity with lemon slices and scallions, closing the cavity with toothpicks, a skewer, or butcher’s twine. Put the fish on a plate and brush the olive oil all over it making sure to coat both sides well. Let the fish sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the grill. When the coals are ready, oil either the grill grate or a fish basket. Cook for about ten minutes per side, turning once, or until the fish flakes white all the way through.
Alternately, you can roast the fish on a foil- or parchment-covered sheet pan in a 400° oven for 20 minutes.
Simple Salsa Verde
This is a zesty oil- and herbs-type salsa verde rather than the green Mexican salsa with tomatillos or avocado. It’s a cousin to chimichurri or pesto, with lots of room for substitutions and variation.
½ cup olive oil
½ cup white wine vinegar
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, torn or chopped (or a similar amount of basil, dill, etc.)
Zest and juice of one lime
1 t. honey
1 t. salt
½ t. black pepper
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Combine all ingredients and allow to meld at room temperature for an hour or so. Especially nice as a condiment with grilled meats and seafood. Leftovers are excellent mixed into mayonnaise and used as a sandwich spread, or as the dressing for a potato salad.
Citrus Salad
2 oranges
1 red grapefruit
1 lime
1 t. honey
A pinch of sea salt
Section the oranges and grapefruit by cutting both the blossom and stem ends off so it will stand flat on your cutting board. Then, cutting from top to bottom, cut the bitter white pith from the pulp. You will be cutting downward repeatedly, cutting away strips of pith all the way around the fruit. Next, holding the now-naked orange in your hand and over a bowl, carefully cut against each membrane to release the segments. Squeeze remaining juice into the bowl before throwing the membrane mess away. (If that wasn’t clear, go to YouTube and search for “How to Supreme an Orange”. Sometimes it’s best to see something done.)
Add the zest and juice of the lime to the orange and grapefruit. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with the pinch of salt. Toss.
Lime Cilantro Rice
This is also our favorite rice when we have Tex-Mex food.
1 cup white rice
2 cups water
2 T. butter
1 t. salt
Juice and zest of 1 lime
½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
In a 1½- or 2-quart microwave safe bowl, combine the rice, water, butter and salt. Microwave uncovered on high for 18 minutes. Allow the rice to sit in the microwave another 2 minutes. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave using hot pads or oven mitts–it will be screaming hot.
Add the lime juice and zest and the cilantro. Fluff with a fork until thoroughly combined.
Grilled Snapper
Ingredients
- 1 whole vermillion snapper--about 2 lbs.--cleaned and scaled
- 2 t. kosher salt
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions in 1- or 2-inch pieces
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Score the fish by making two or three parallel ¼” deep cuts on each side. Pat the fish dry and rub inside and out with the salt. Stuff the cavity with lemon slices and scallions, closing the cavity with toothpicks, a skewer, or butcher’s twine. Put the fish on a plate and brush the olive oil all over it making sure to coat both sides well. Let the fish sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the grill. When the coals are ready, oil either the grill grate or a fish basket. Cook for about ten minutes per side, turning once, or until the fish flakes white all the way through.
- Alternately, you can roast the fish on a foil- or parchment-covered sheet pan in a 400° oven for 20 minutes.
Simple Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped
- ½ bunch cilantro, torn or chopped (or a similar amount of basil, dill, etc.)
- Zest and juice of one lime
- 1 t. honey
- 1 t. salt
- 1/2 t. pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and allow to meld at room temperature for an hour or so. Especially nice as a condiment with grilled meats and seafood. Leftovers are excellent mixed into mayonnaise and used as a sandwich spread, or as the dressing for a potato salad.
Citrus Salad
Ingredients
- 2 oranges
- 1 red grapefruit
- 1 lime
- 1 t. honey
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Section the oranges and grapefruit by cutting both the blossom and stem ends off so it will stand flat on your cutting board. Then, cutting from top to bottom, cut the bitter white pith from the pulp. You will be cutting downward repeatedly, cutting away strips of pith all the way around the fruit. Next, holding the now-naked orange in your hand and over a bowl, carefully cut against each membrane to release the segments. Squeeze remaining juice into the bowl before throwing the membrane mess away.
- Add the zest and juice of the lime to the orange and grapefruit. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with the pinch of salt. Toss.
Lime Cilantro Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 T. butter
- 1 t. salt
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- n a 1½- or 2-quart microwave safe bowl, combine the rice, water, butter and salt. Microwave uncovered on high for 18 minutes. Allow the rice to sit in the microwave another 2 minutes. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave using hot pads or oven mitts--it will be screaming hot.
- Add the lime juice and zest and the cilantro. Fluff with a fork until thoroughly combined.
Delicious!
❤