Veracruz Style Snapper Recipes

VERACRUZ STYLE RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Season the fish with salt, pepper and lime juice inside and out. Set aside.
• In a large ovenproof frying pan, heat the oil in on medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until transparent. Your frying pan has to be big enough to fit the fish. If you do not have a large enough oven-proof frying pan, then have a large baking dish ready to bake the fish there. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Add the crushed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes to the frying pan and cook for about 8 minutes. Add the herbs. Keep cooking for 4 more minutes or until sauce is cooked.
• If using the dry white wine, add it while the tomatoes sauce is cooking.
• Before adding the red snapper, add the pickled jalapeños, raisins, olives and capers and cook until the flavors combine, about 4 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
• To bake the fish, add some sauce to the bottom of the baking dish, then place the fish and cover it with the rest of the sauce; bake for about 30 minutes or more. The fish meat should flake when you insert a fork. (If you want to cook it using the stove-top method, place the fish into the frying pan and cover with some of the sauce. Place a lid and simmer until fish is cooked.). The cooking time will depend on the size of the fish.

RED SNAPPER VERACRUZ

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425° F
• Sprinkle filets with salt and place in a shallow pan. Squeeze juice from one lime over filets. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in onions and cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add capers and caper liquid, stir to combine.
• Stir in tomatoes, olives and jalapeño peppers. Cook and stir until jalapeño pepper softens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in oregano and cilantro.
• Oil or spray an oven-proof casserole dish, add 1/2 of the tomato-olive mixture, place the fillets on the mixture, squeeze the juice from ½ of a lime over the fish and add the remaining tomato-olive mixture. Squeeze additional lime juice over the top.
• Transfer to the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake until fish is flaky and no longer translucent, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve with fluffy white rice and lime wedges.

SNAPPER VERACRUZ

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, onion, and garlic, and cook until pepper is soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in the white pepper, cinnamon, lime juice, olives, and chiles; cook for 2 more minutes, to blend the flavors. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the snapper filets into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce over the filets, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Stir in the capers just before serving.

GRILLED SNAPPER VERA CRUZ

Steps:

• Brush the fish with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill for 2 minutes on each side. Remove and cover.
• Heat olive oil in a non-corrosive saute pan over medium-high heat, add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add wine and reduce. Add tomatoes, green olives, capers and pepper, sugar and bay leaf and bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Reduce heat, add grilled fish and cook for 2 minutes.

STUFFED SNAPPER VERACRUZ

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add half of the oil to a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Once hot, cook the onions, bell peppers, jalapeno, olives and capers until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and sweat until just aromatic, about a minute. Stir in the tomato paste and deglaze with the red wine. Stir in the tomatoes and bring the pan to medium-high heat. Reduce until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 7 minutes. Fold in the oregano, mixing well. Continue cooking until the stuffing is a thick, pulpy consistency, about 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
• Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
• Score both sides of the fish. Stuff the cavity of the fish, using about half of the stuffing; set the remaining stuffing aside. Secure with three evenly spaced lengths of kitchen twine.
• Bring the remaining oil to medium-high heat in a large, nonstick skillet. Sprinkle the fish on both sides, and place in the skillet once the oil begins to smoke lightly. Sear until the skin browns on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a fish spatula, flip the fish gently, and then place the whole skillet onto the middle rack of the oven. Bake until the fish is golden brown, the flesh flakes easily and the stuffing is hot throughout, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place onto platter with the julienned bell peppers and jicama, if desired.
• Put the skillet back over medium-high heat and add the remaining stuffing. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth and stir to combine. Cook for about 1 minute. Remove the kitchen twine from the fish. Garnish the fish with the crispy tortilla strips, the stuffing and a squeeze of lime juice.
• To serve: Transfer portions to plates. Garnish with lime wedges and serve with a nice, cold Mexican beer.

COZUMEL RED SNAPPER VERACRUZ

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; drizzle with wine. Top with tomatoes, onion, olives, jalapeno, capers and garlic; drizzle with olive oil., Bake 35-40 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. If desired, serve with couscous and sprinkle with cilantro.

WHOLE SNAPPER WITH GRILLED VERA CRUZ SALSA

Steps:

• For the salsa: Preheat a charcoal grill for medium-high heat.
• Brush the bell peppers, tomatoes and chiles with oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the bell peppers until charred on all sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 15 minutes. Remove the skin and seeds and dice.
• Grill the tomatoes until charred on all sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board, let rest for 10 minutes and coarsely chop.
• Grill the chiles until charred on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes, and finely chop.
• Combine the bell peppers, tomatoes, chiles, olives, cilantro, capers, thyme, oregano, vinegar and oil in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
• For the snapper: Combine the achiote, coriander and oregano in a small saute pan and toast over low heat until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly and grind in a coffee grinder. Combine the ground spices with the paprika, salt and pepper in a large baking dish. Add the lime juice, garlic and oil, and whisk until the consistency a smooth paste. Sprinkle the fish all over with salt and pepper. Rub one side of each fish generously with some of the paste. Cover and marinate for 20 minutes.
• Preheat a charcoal grill for direct medium-high heat and indirect grilling.
• Grill the fish, paste-side down, over the direct heat, until the paste is nicely charred, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully flip the fish over using a large, heavy duty spatula and move the fish to the opposite side of the coals. Cover the grill and continue cooking until just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the fish to a large platter. Spoon the salsa on top and garnish with the fresh herbs.

VERACRUZ RED SNAPPER: HUACHINANGO A LA VERACRUZANA

Steps:

• Clean the fish without cutting off either the head or the tail. With a sharp knife, score the fleshy part of the snapper. In a bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, water, clove, and pepper to make the marinade. Pour the marinade over the fish and allow the marinade to penetrate the snapper for 30 minutes.
• Pour a tablespoon of oil into a hot pan and sear the fish for a few minutes on each side. Add the chicken broth and begin to add the remaining ingredients.
• First, add the sliced onion, bay leaves, and oregano. Next, pour in the fresh tomato puree, followed by the whole plum tomatoes. Add the pickled chiles, crushed olives, and capers. Season with salt and continue simmering for 15 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle the whole olives and chopped parsley over the snapper and serve on a large dish.

SNAPPER VERACRUZANA

Steps:

• In a saucepot, add the oil, and start to cook the onions, garlic, bay leaves, and jalapeno. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Then deglaze with the white wine. Add the tomatoes and fish stock, and cook for 15 minutes. Add the capers and olives cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper. Put the red snapper in a roasting dish that holds it comfortably. Spoon the tomato sauce over the fish, and roast until the fish is cooked but moist, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve the fish garnished with parsley and lime wedges.

RED SNAPPER VERACRUZ

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• In a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and jalapeño, and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato puree, diced tomatoes, wine, chili sauce, lemon juice, capers, parsley, garlic, thyme, and salt, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Season the snapper fillets and the shrimp with salt and pepper, and lay them on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the seafood. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the fish is flaky.
• note
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HUACHINANGO A LA VERACRUZANA (VERACRUZ-STYLE RED SNAPPER)

Steps:

• Place fish in a nonreactive dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour the lime juice over the fish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• In a Dutch oven over moderate heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, season with salt, cover, and sweat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté briefly, then add the tomatoes and more salt. Cover and cook until the tomatoes change color. Lower the heat and add the olives, capers, raisins, jalapeños, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove the bay leaves, and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Place 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Remove the fish from the marinade and arrange it on top of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the fish then scatter the potato slices on top. Cover and bake until the fish flakes when tested with a fork, about 45 minutes. Garnish with the parsley and serve with the Arroz Blanco.

VERACRUZ-STYLE SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fish fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook the fillets for 2 minutes per side, or until the fish is opaque and just cooked through. Transfer the fish fillets to a glass baking dish where they can fit snugly.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, Anaheim chile, bay leaf, and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer the sauce for 6 minutes, or until the chiles soften. Uncover the pan, add the olives and capers, and cook for 4 minutes, or until the flavors combine. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the fish in the baking dish. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Remove the bay leaf. Serve the fillets topped with the sauce.

RED SNAPPER VERACRUZ STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse fish under cold running water, inside and out, being sure to remove all traces of gills and blood. Blot dry with paper towels, inside and out. Lightly season, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
• Lightly oil the bottom of a large roasting pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with half of the sauce. Place fish over sauce. Tuck bay leaves, thyme, and onion into the cavity of the fish. Pour remaining sauce over fish.
• Bake just until the flesh flakes when tested with the tip of a knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Use two large spatulas to transfer fish to a platter spooning sauce and cooking juices over it. Or remove fish from bone and serve on individual plates, with sauce spooned over it.