Caribbean Red Snapper with Fennel Mandarin Salad

Saturday 27 September

Grace Parisi is the only thing we miss about Food & Wine & Ad & Ad & AdAdAdAd...  So when we snapped up a bright-eyed red snapper from Luken's today, and searched for a recipe that would do it justice, we were not surprised to find hers the most adaptable recipe, whether for Asian, Mediterranean, or Caribbean flavors.

We opted for the last.  It was funny to roast the fish propped up on its belly, but it actually stayed in place without even bolstering the tail with tinfoil, as suggested, and it meant that the skin was crisped on both sides.

And speaking of sides, we accompanied the fish with a fresh and tasty salad adapted from this website.

Fennel Mandarin Salad

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped shallot

1 teaspoon finely grated tangerine peel

2 medium fennel bulbs, very thinly sliced crosswise, some of the fronds chopped

4-5 mandarins, peeled, segmented

Whisk first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Add sliced fennel, a few fronds, and mandarin segments.  Toss, add more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.

The fish didn't peel off in neat fillets but in succulent gobbets, and reminded us of the way you pick at a whole fish with your chopsticks in a Chinese restaurant.  And the salad freshened it up perfectly.