1 (1- to 1½-pound) whole red snapper, scaled and gutted
3 tablespoons Green Seasoning (recipe follows)
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon thyme leaves
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Canola oil, for frying
2 cups rice flour
BROWN STEW
1 medium Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet pepper
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon Green Seasoning (recipe follows)
1 fresh bay leaf
3 medium tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ cup sliced okra (¼-inch rounds)
¼ cup browning
2 cups Ginger Lemongrass Fumet or vegetable stock
GARNISH
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Serve with Coconut Rice and Peas
Instructions
Prepare the snapper: Rinse the fish. Drain and pat dry with paper towels or a clean towel. Using a paring knife, gently but firmly score the fish from the gill to the tail on both sides, along the belly’s surface in crosshatches, about 2 inches apart. You want to go beneath the skin surface, but not so deep that you cut through the fish. When you’re done, it should look like a stretched grid across the fish’s surface.
Place the fish in a large bowl or on a sheet pan, then season with the green seasoning, salt, garlic, ginger, thyme, white pepper, and lemon juice and zest. Use your hands to gently and thoroughly coat the fish with the seasoning on the inside and out. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Cover the fish if you marinate it overnight.
When you’re ready to cook the fish, in a large skillet, add canola oil to a depth of 2 inches (about 1 cup) and heat over medium to 350°; check using an instant-read thermometer.
Once the oil is ready, spread out the rice flour on a wide, flat plate. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and lightly shake off any excess marinade. Evenly dust the exterior with the rice flour.
Immediately add the coated fish to the skillet. Cook each side until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a plate or cooling rack.
Make the brown stew: Drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving about 3 tablespoons behind, or add the same amount of oil to a wide saucepan. Add the onion, bell pepper, Scotch bonnet, thyme, garlic, green seasoning, and bay leaf to the skillet or saucepan. Sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid any burns, until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, okra, and browning. Continue to stir. Add the ginger lemongrass fumet and let the stew simmer until the vegetables soften and the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the fish to the sauce and spoon it over the fish. Remove bay leaf and discard.
Top the stew and fish with scallions and enjoy immediately with Coconut Rice and Peas.
Notes
If you prefer, instead of frying the fish, simmer it in the brown stew sauce and bake in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes at 350°. Pour the stewed vegetables on top and then continue with the simmering instructions at the end.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/chef-nina-compton-shares-creole-caribbean-recipes-in-new-cookbook-kweyol-creole/