Wild snapper with mango relish

Snapper Sauvage et Manguier

Wild snapper with mango relish

If an explosion of flavors is what you are seeking, this succulent dish is for you. As a full-time chef and avid angler - and now privileged to be Florida Sport Fishing’s in-house seafood cook extraordinaire - I find myself constantly exploring new realms of taste, color and flavor combinations. With just a little bit of effort and fresh ingredients, all of us can create delicious seafood medleys that are both easy to prepare and will leave dinner guests salivating for more.

On the water, snapper are one of my favorite targets and surely one of the most common species of fresh fish served throughout the Sunshine State, so I felt it would only be fitting to kick off my new column with a spectacular snapper dish. In the heritage of French gourmet, this fresh fish combination fuses multiple layers of flavors resulting in a mouth-watering eruption of taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

(4-servings)

Fresh Spinach – 2-bunches

Sauté spinach with minced fresh garlic, olive oil and seasonings to taste.

Black Bean & Jasmine Rice Medley – 16-ounces of each

Steam rice then mix with black beans, diced red pepper, green pepper and red onion. Add freshly chopped cilantro, cumin and chili powder to taste.

Blackened Snapper Fillets – Eight 4-ounce pieces

Coat one side of fillets with blackening seasoning, pan sear coated side before finishing in preheated oven (350-degress) for 15-minutes or until fish flakes. Snapper fillets may be substituted by any white, flaky fish.

Mango Relish – 1-whole mango

Dice mango, lightly fold with juice from one lime, 3-tablespoons diced red onion and chopped fresh cilantro to taste.

Citrus Reduction – I-cup orange juice, zest from 1 lemon, 1 lime and ½ ounce shallots. Heat OJ, zest, three tablespoons granulated sugar and shallots…reduce by half. Let cool. Add one tablespoon Dijon mustard and juices from 1 lemon and 1 lime. Emulsify in blender with ½ cup vegetable oil.

Method:

Layer serving dish with fresh sautéed spinach. Top with black bean and rice medley. Arrange two blackened fillets on top of rice before adding a dollop of colorful mango relish. Complete the palate pleasing presentation by garnishing with citrus reduction. Serve!

Chef Kevin Kelly
Chef@FloridaSportFishing.com