Today Dishing: Baked Red Snapper

Intending to make a quick spaghetti dinner yesterday, I went to Whole Foods to pick up a few ingredients.

In front of the fish department, whole red snappers were displayed in a bed of ice.  They were beautiful and on sale. Time to adjust the dinner menu.

I've never cooked a red snapper but I have made a whole salmon, which was not difficult and thinking the same  rules must apply, I was up to the challenge. New menu: Baked Red Snapper and linguini with white clam sauce. (Little neck clam were also on sale)

This was an experiment, but it turned out very well.

Meet my friend, Mr. Red Snapper.

                                                
INGREDIENTS
1 2-3 pound whole red snapper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4-6 sprigs flat leaf parsley (thyme could also be used)
1 lemon, cut into moons
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Salt and Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Lay the fish on a large piece of aluminum foil.
Stuff the fish with all but four lemon moons, parsley, butter and garlic.

Pour olive oil over the fish to cover the skin.
Cut 3-4 diagonal slits across the fish.
Stuff the slits with lemon moons.

Liberally salt and pepper the fish.
For this dinner, I arranged the clams around the fish.

Cover the fish with another piece of foil and crimp edges to form a tight seal,
Place the entire package on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

The finished product.

Yep, it's that easy. It makes a dramatic presentation, but watch out for the bones.

As a stand alone entree one fish this size feeds two to three people. For the same amount of work and similar cost, a whole salmon produces more edible fish.