June 2016 | Page 58

[email protected] Belizean-Style Red Snapper I started going to Belize to fish back in the early 80's. One of my favorite things to do there is catch some reef snapper and do a shore lunch. We make a fire from coconut husks and when the coals get right, it's showtime! First, put a filet on a piece of aluminum foil. On top, add slices of lime, orange, sliced sweet onion, and sliced tomatoes. Top with a local seasonings and butter. Close the foil over the filet and place on the coals. Twenty minutes later, you’ll be eating like kings. A friend gave me a nice snap4 4-ounce snapper fillets per filet and I de2 limes, sliced cided to bake it, 2 navel oranges, sliced as I'm not on a 1 Vidalia onion, sliced beach in Belize. 2 small Creole tomatoes, sliced It came out 4 pats of butter great! Sazon Tropical Seasoning or your favorite Creole seasoning Ingredients: Method: Spray a 9"x13" glass baking dish with Pam. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the 4 filets, about 1/4 inch apart. Sprinkle seasoning on the filets. Top with lime, orange, Vidalia onion, and tomato slices. Add more seasoning and finally, a pat of butter on top of each fillet. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Bass Florentine Struck out this past Turkey seasin; thank goodness we have several well-stocked ponds on our deer lease. With deadline time coming up fast, I gave up the bird and went fishing! A few hours later I had dinner in the ice chest. To me there is noth3 tablespoons olive oil ing better than eating fish 1 medium sweet onion, medium diced caught and then cooked 1 roasted red bell pepper, medium diced 1 roasted orange bell pepper, medium diced within several hours. Can ½ cup white wine (drinkable quality) you say fresh? Helpful Ingredients: Juice of ½ lemon cloves garlic, minced tablespoons capers pound crawfish tails Creole seasoning, to taste 6 6-ounce white fish filets 1 stick butter (1/2 cup) 3 tablespoons Blackening seasoning Chopped basil (about ¼ cup) for garnish 2 3 1 Method: Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add onion and caramelize (about 15 minutes). Deglaze with ¼ cup of the white wine. Add roasted bell peppers, garlic and continue to sauté for another 15 minutes. Next add the capers, remaining white wine, lemon juice and crawfish tails to this mixture. Add your Creole seasoning (or just salt and pepper). Lower heat, stir and cover. The longer you cook this the tougher the crawfish tails become. Twenty (20) minutes over very low heat is perfect. Melt 1 stick of butter and add 3 tablespoons of your favorite Creole or blackening seasoning. Mix with a whisk. Pour into a shallow bowl. Dredge fish filets through Hint: Many large grocery stores have salad bars that have roasted red bell peppers. Also, there are several varieties of roasted bell peppers in jars. I find it easier to use these when I am short of time. the butter mixture. Place fish in a hot cast iron skillet. Blacken for 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the butter mixture to the top of the fish filet. Now flip it and cook for 1 minute. Do three (3) filets at a time and do not crowd the skillet. Use the same skillet for the next 3 filets. Hold warm in a 225-degree oven or plate right away. To Serve: Place 1 fish filet on a plate. Cover with generous helping of the crawfish tail mixture and garnish with freshly chopped basil. Add some steamed veggies that are in season. Serve with a nice white or rose wine.