Hawaiian Snapper Fish Recipes

PETER MERRIMAN'S KAMA 'AINA WHOLE FISH DINNER

Steps:

• Preheat the grill.
• Score the whole fish with criss-crossed marks, about 8 or 10, from head to mid-tail. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, ginger, garlic, and chile flakes. Place 2 large pieces of aluminum foil, shiny side down, on a work surface. Place the ti leaves over the aluminum foil, to cover. Rub the mayonnaise mixture all over the fish and place on the ti leaves. Fold the ti leaves over the fish and follow with the aluminum foil to create a tight seal.
• Place the wrapped fish on the hot grill and grill for 10 to 12 minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the grill, carefully unwrap, and sprinkle with green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro.

PAN ROASTED ONAGA (RED SNAPPER) WITH CHARRED SUGARLOAF PINEAPPLE, HAWAIIAN HEARTS OF PALM AND KAFIR LIME JUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the red snapper into 4 equal portions, approximately 6 ounces each. Score skin to prevent curling. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat a stainless saute pan on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Lay fish in pan, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes or until skin starts to color. Turn fish and cook for 1 minute. Place pan in oven and roast for 7 minutes.
• To make lime jus, remove fish from pan, add fish bones, carrots, celery, onion, 1/2 of ginger, and lime leaves. Return to heat and saute for 1 minute. Add water and fish sauce and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth, return to heat, and add the soy sauce.
• Preheat another stainless steel pan on high heat. Coat pineapple slices and heart of palm with peanut oil. Char in hot pan until hearts of palm are light brown and pineapple is dark brown.
• To serve return fish to oven to briefly warm. Place fish, skin side up, in a large bowls, lay alternating slices of pineapple and hearts of palm on fish, ladle lime jus around fish, float green onion, ginger, and cilantro in jus, and top pineapple with basil leaves.

RED SNAPPER WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Roll the fish lightly in flour mixed with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in skillet; cook fish until brown on both sides (3 minutes per side).
• Remove fish to platter and keep warm.
• To skillet add butter and lemon; allow to simmer 1 minute.
• Pour over the fish.
• Sprinkle with parsley.

BAKED OPAKAPAKA (SNAPPER) FILLETS WITH MACADAMIA CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Oil a baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Place the fish in the pan, and sprinkle with pepper and lemon juice.
• In a small skillet heat the rest of the butter. .
• Add the ground nuts.
• Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes making sure the mixture doesn't burn.
• Spread the mixture over the fish.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until done.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

MAUI-STYLE SNAPPER

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. In a large bowl, toss the pineapple with the hot sauce. Grill the fruit slices over very low heat until browned and caramelized, 10 minutes per side (don't let the slices blacken or burn). Cut the pineapple rings into small wedges and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the oil, lime juice, and salt and marinate the snapper strips in the mixture for 5 minutes (the oil will help prevent the fish from sticking to the grill). Once the pineapple is done, grill the fish over medium-high heat until cooked through, turning once, about 6 minutes total. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
• To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the lettuce, fish, pineapple, and avocado equally between the tortillas and top with salsa. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some lettuce, filling, avocado, and salsa, and eat.

BAKED WHOLE RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Clean red snapper inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Brush grapeseed oil all over the inside and outside of the fish, and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning on all sides. Insert garlic cloves, citrus slices, and thyme sprigs into the cavity of the fish. Set on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes, depending on size of the fish.

UNCLE GLENN'S ONAGA (STEAMED RED SNAPPER WITH SOMEN)

Steps:

• The day before cooking, submerge the garlic in the oil in a small container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to cook, check the fish for any remaining scales and scrape off, paying special attention to the head and tail. Rinse the fish and pat dry.
• Boil the somen according to the package instructions, rinsing and draining well. While the noodles are still damp, arrange them on a serving platter and cover with plastic wrap.
• Loosely toss together the celery, carrot, scallions, onion and cilantro leaves in a small mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature (if refrigerated, the hot oil added at the end won't sizzle). In another small bowl, mix the chung choi, ginger and cilantro stems, and stuff 1/2 cup of the mixture inside the fish cavity, including the head. Pat the remaining few tablespoons over both sides of the fish's body.
• Set a steamer rack or other metal rack inside a wok or roasting pan large enough to accomodate the fish and set on the stove, straddling two burners if needed. Have ready the wok's lid or sheets of foil large enough to cover the roasting pan tightly. Add enough water to come up to the rack (1 to 1 1/2 inches). Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, stack 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to hold the fish. Turn up and crimp the foil at the edges to create a boat just large enough to fit the fish. The raised edges will catch the drippings, which will make the sauce. Put the foil boat on the rack over the boiling water, then lay the stuffed fish on the foil. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil and let steam for 15 to 18 minutes (6 minutes per pound). Don't lift the lid to check on the fish, as this will cause the temperature to drop. Adjust the temperature as needed if the lid begins to clatter. Uncover and check to see if the fish is done: The eyes should be white and bulging, the mouth slightly agape and a chopstick inserted into the flesh should slide in easily. Turn off the heat.
• Using two long spatulas, gently transfer the fish to the somen platter, laying it on top of the noodles. Lift the foil boat out of the steamer, careful not to spill any sauce, and pour the sauce into a small bowl. Add the oyster sauce and scallop powder (or fish sauce) and stir. Pour the sauce over the fish, then cover the fish with the vegetable and herb garnish.
• Pour the reserved garlic oil into a small saucepan. Heat over high until the garlic turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and discard the garlic. Slosh the soy sauce over the garnished fish, then carefully pour on the hot garlic oil, letting it sizzle. Serve immediately.