Grilled Red Snapper with Herb Salad and Charred Sweet Potato Planks
By Andrew Zimmern
A mild, white-fleshed fish, red snapper is universally beloved and readily available anywhere. In this episode of Wild Game Kitchen, I’m making two different dishes with red snapper. First, I’ll show you a foolproof way to filet and butcher a smaller snapper to make fried snapper fingers with a spicy chile-orange mayonnaise dipping sauce (recipe). Then, I’m roasting a whole fish over open fire, serving it family style with an herb salad and charred miso sweet potatoes.
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Grilled Red Snapper with Herb Salad
Ingredients
- 1 whole red snapper, approximately 6-7 pounds cleaned, head on
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 3 stems fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
Instructions
Pat your fish dry. Make 3-4 lateral cuts at a 45-degree angle with your blade facing the head of the fish on both sides. This will help to promote even cooking. Shove some thyme and lemon slices into each cut. Add any remaining lemon slices and the rosemary to the cavity of the fish. Rub the fish with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Using butcher’s twine, truss the fish together in a few spots around the belly to hold everything together and keep the seasoning inside the cavity of the fish.
Cook over medium direct heat for about 20 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your fish, until just cooked through. Place on a platter to rest. Whisk together the olive oil, mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Baste the fish with this sauce while it’s resting. Serve with the sweet potatoes and piles of the herb salad on top.
Charred Sweet Potato Planks
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes or yams
- Canola oil
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons Japanese miso
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- OPTIONAL: a few tablespoons of Korean gochujang if you like heat
Instructions
Slice the potatoes in planks, about 1/4-1/3 of an inch thick. Brush with canola oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine the miso and maple syrup.
Grill over medium direct heat for about 10 minutes until tender. Flip and baste with the syrup miso mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and grill for another few minutes until cooked through. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve.
Herb Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Italian Parsley, chopped (you want nice big pieces)
- 1 bunch chives, minced
- One bunch tarragon leaves
- 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves roughly torn
- One bunch radishes, thinly sliced (get some nice different ones if they are in season!)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 orange, zested and supremed
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the parsley, tarragon, chives, radishes, tomatoes and orange supremes. Whisk together the olive oil, orange zest and lemon juice. Pour over the herb salad and toss to combine.
