Ocean to Plate

With Turkey Day '07 fast approaching and gluttonous food consumption looming, I'm going to admit that I like to eat good food. I like to release the snook I catch, but when taken out of the water and filleted, snook give white, flaky meat. Snook doesn't come breaded out of the ocean, so here is a recipe I recommend for eating snook. It has been adapted from a recipe from Emerial Legasse. I recommend adding another side dish as well, such as rice, potatoes, or a vegetable.


Poached Snook with Mango Salsa

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Season each fillet on both sides with salt and white pepper.

Bring vegetable stock to a simmer in a large saucepan or deep skillet large enough to hold 2 fillets flat. Add 2 fillets and poach on medium heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the poaching liquid, and cover with foil to keep warm. Cook the remaining fillets.


Smash avocado in a small bowl with a fork. Add lime juice and season with salt.

To serve, place a grouper fillet on top. Decoratively arrange mango salsa and smashed avocado around fish, and place several tortilla chips in each. Serve immediately.

Mango Salsa:
1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup finely chopped poblano
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
11/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine the mango, poblano, red bell pepper, onions, and garlic, in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the vinegar, cilantro, and salt, and stir well. Adjust seasoning, to taste, and serve. The salsa can be made up to 4 hours in advance, and refrigerated, tightly covered.