Saturday, December 12, 2009

Lily's Red Snapper Louisianne - a weekend recipe

Red snapper is perhaps the most popular main entrée at many fine restaurants in New Orleans. My Cajun ex-mother-in-law always prepared a wonderful version she called, simply, red fish.

Lily always made her signature dish when her little brother Junior brought home red snapper from one of his morning fishing trips. I don’t have Lili’s recipe (she did everything by memory) but here is a similar one.

2 onions, minced
1 sprig saffron
2 green peppers, minced
4 pounds red snapper
2 fresh mushrooms, minced
1 cup white wine
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
6 fresh tomatoes, peeled

Cook onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, add tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes. Add saffron. Remove head and middle bone from fish and arrange in a buttered baking dish. Pour wine over fish and season very lightly with salt and pepper. Add sauce and cook for 30 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Garnish with parsley. Serves 8 to 10.

Fiction South

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