Fresh Red Snapper Tacos By Sam Zien Food

RED SNAPPER TACOS

Steps:

• Place saute pan over medium-high heat, and add a few tablespoons oil for sauteing. Add the fish, then other ingredients one at a time: chile powder, chipotle, cilantro, hot sauce, and lime juice. Remove pan from the heat when cooked through.
• Make the avocado relish by combining the avocados, tomato, jalapeno, red onions, mango, and lime juice.
• Fold cooked fish and avocado relish together.
• Place the taco shells in a warm oven until warm; remove from oven and fill with combined mixture.

RED SNAPPER MINI TACOS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot but not smoking. Add the fish and cook, carefully turning once to avoid breaking the fillets, until lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes.
• Mix the sambal oelek, ground ancho and salt together. Spread generously over the fish and continue cooking until the fish is barely opaque when flaked with the tip of a small knife, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice and cilantro. Let the fish cool completely in the liquid. (The fish and its liquid can be transferred to a shallow dish, covered and refrigerated for 1 day.)
• Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 18 rounds from the tortillas. Pour enough vegetable oil to come about 3/4 inch up the side of a heavy deep skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place near the skillet. Have ready 6 small (1/2-inch-wide) cannoli forms. (If you have more forms, use them, but if you have only 6, they can be reused after they cool.)
• Working with one tortilla round at a time, use tongs to dip a round in the oil just until it softens, about 3 seconds. Transfer to the paper towels. Place a cannoli form across the center of the round. Let the round cool slightly, then fold up the sides to make a taco-shell shape. Holding the round and cannoli form together with the tongs, transfer them to the hot oil and fry until the shell holds its shape, about 15 seconds. Let go of the shell and continue deep-frying until the shell is golden brown, about 30 seconds more. Return to the paper towels. (With practice, this will take less than a minute per shell and you can do more than one at the same time.) Let cool slightly; slide the form out of the shell. (The shells can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 6 hours.)
• Drain the fish and discard the marinade. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the fish and cook, turning once, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat. Smear about 1/2 cup guacamole over the fish and set aside to warm the guacamole, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and use 2 forks to break the fish mixture into bite-sized pieces.
• Divide the fish filling among the taco shells. To each taco, add about 1 tablespoon mango salsa and a drizzle of the chipotle cream. Transfer to a platter, add the lime wedges and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately, with any remaining guacamole, salsa and chipotle cream on the side.

RED SNAPPER TACOS WITH TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Combine cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, cayenne and garlic in a mortar or small food processor. Pound or process to a paste. Stir in 1/2 tablespoon oil. Dry fish. Rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Cut 3 to 4 diagonal slashes on each side. Use half the spice paste to rub into slashes and cavity of fish. Set aside 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Heat broiler. Broil chiles, tomatillos and onion until browned. Remove stems and seeds from chiles, and skin and cores from tomatillos. Place in food processor with broiled onion, cilantro and remaining spice paste. Pulse until fairly fine. Add allspice, remaining olive oil and salt to taste. Set aside.
• Turn oven to 500 degrees. Place fish on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Leave fish 10 more minutes or until ready to serve, up to 45 minutes more. Peel off skin, remove bones and place chunks of fish on serving platter. Drizzle with juice of lime. Steam tortillas or microwave them for 1 minute, wrapped in damp paper towels.
• To serve, spread a little salsa on tortillas, add pieces of fish, more salsa and dollop of sour cream. Roll to enclose.

BAKED RED SNAPPER IN DILL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sauce ingredients in small bowl:.
• Mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, minced green onion, dried dill, black pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place lemon slices in center of large sheet of foil. Top with sliced green onions and dill. Put fish fillet on top.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Fold foil to make a packet.
• Bake about 20 minutes (check at 15) or until the fish is opaque.
• Spread some sauce in the middle of 2 plates. Top with the fish, onions and lemon.
• Garnish with fresh dill sprigs.
• Note: I made this last night but didn't have mayo. Substituted sour cream. I think I like that better. 07/23/05.