Roasted Red Snapper with Citrus Dressing & Pistachios. This recipe from Sicily using a citrus dressing is much easier to cook than it sounds. The thyme, garlic, shallots and chilli are only for adding flavour to the fish and won’t cook through completely, so don’t serve them with the fish.
Serves 4
1.5kg red snapper, scaled, gutted
5 sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
3 shallots, sliced lengthwise
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sea salt
Dressing
1 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
1 tbsp capers in brine, drained
1 lemon, thinly sliced in rings
1 lime, thinly sliced in rings
1 orange, thinly sliced in rings
Juice of 2 limes
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place the fish on a clean work surface and make three 5cm slashes on the top side of the snapper. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, garlic, chilli and shallots, then rub the snapper all over with olive oil and liberally season both sides of the fish with salt. Tie the body of the fish with kitchen string to hold in the stuffing.
Place the snapper on a lined rimmed baking tray and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until flesh is flaky. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine the pistachios, capers, lemon, lime and orange slices, along with the lime juice.
Season well with salt and pepper and toss together. Gently remove string and stuffing from fish, top the roasted fish with the citrus mixture, leave to sit on a warm plate for 5 minutes, then serve.
