This recipe for snapper is my favorite new fish dish. It’s from Lula Bertran, consulting chef for La Casa Que Canta resort in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. This dish is a bit time-consuming, but it is so beautiful and delicious that it is well worth the time and effort. It is perfect for weekend recreational cooking.
This recipe makes 3 cups of the pico de gallo and the mole verde, and both can be used in other recipes.
RED SNAPPER WITH PICO DE GALLO AND MOLE VERDE
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 6 minutes for fish
Standing time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillet, rinsed, patted dry
Juice of 1 lime
Pico de gallo:
1/2 cup each: chopped red onion, cider vinegar
2 tomatoes, seeded, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 oranges, peeled, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
1 serrano chili, seeded, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper
Mole verde:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small white onion, peeled, finely chopped
3 serrano chilies, seeded, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
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2 cups fat-free chicken stock
24 baked corn tortilla chips
1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 mango, peeled, diced
1/2 pound tomatillos, husks removed, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish
1. Cut fish into 6 equal pieces and place on a plate. Squeeze lime juice over fish, cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to cook.
2. To make pico de gallo, combine chopped red onion and vinegar and let stand 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drain onion and add to bowl, mix well, cover and set aside.
3. To make mole sauce, heat olive oil and garlic in large skillet over medium heat until garlic begins to sizzle. Add onion, chilies and cumin and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken stock, tortilla chips, pumpkin seeds, mango and tomatillos. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Add lime juice, spinach and cilantro. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer to a blender, add salt and pepper and puree.
4. To cook fish, heat the broiler. Place fish in a broiler pan or on a rack over a baking sheet. Broil about 3 minutes per side, or until it turns opaque. Do not overcook fish, as it will be dry. (Fish also can be grilled.)
5. To serve, spoon 1/4 cup pico de gallo in center of each of 6 plates. Spoon 1/2 cup mole sauce around pico de gallo, top each serving with a portion of broiled fish and spoon 1/4 cup remaining pico de gallo over fish. Garnish each serving with cilantro sprigs if desired.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories…………..350 Fat……………8 g Cholesterol…….40 mg
Sodium………….530 mg Carbohydrates….43 g Protein…………31 g