Late August tomatoes are in abundance and make the perfect seasonal topper for my island-inspired red snapper that can be prepped in less than 30 minutes -- all on the stove-top using one pan. Fresh tomatoes are combined with scallions, garlic, hot sauce, ginger and thyme and top red snapper as it braises with butter, olive oil and lemon to produce a sunny, vibrant and aromatic sauce.
This conjures up memories of sun-burns and still sand-streaked skin strolling the dirt Main Street of Ambergris Caye into a dockside restaurant and perching myself on a stool to watch the fishermen maneuver in with the day's catch -- that made it onto my plate within an hour -- maybe two. (But who counts on island time?) bathed in a sunny sauce of tomatoes and citrus.
I love red snapper with its mild and slightly sweet flavor and firm and flaky texture. But, it's not always readily available in my landlocked state that has a motto, "we don't coast'! (And the price tag on fresh red snapper can elicit a gasp -- or at minimum raise an eyebrow.)
That said, what is great about this recipe is how incredibly easy the method of cooking the fish and tomatoes is. They recipe can be adapted to using any firm white-fleshed fish like cod, grouper, haddock and even tilapia. Sole, flounder and mahi-mahi would also make excellent choices.
I love the cooking method for this. Braising the fish and tomatoes in a combination of butter and olive oil and keeping it covered during cooking not only infuses the fish with flavor, it keeps it moist and tender. This works as an easy weeknight family meal -- or can be the centerpiece for entertaining.
Serve it alongside some of my favorite salads:
- Lemony Buttermilk Coleslaw
- Buttermilk Cucumbers with Almonds and Everything
- Heirloom Tomato, Peach and Arugula with Miso Buttermilk and Herb Dressing
- Arugula and Orange Salad with Serrano, Manchego in Citrus Dressing
- Green Beans with Shallots, Hazelnuts, Tarragon and Citrus
Ingredients
- tomatoes
- scallions
- garlic cloves
- hot sauce, such as Tabasco
- fresh thyme
- ginger root
- lemon
- extra virgin olive oil
- unsalted butter
- red snapper fillets, or other firm fleshed fish
- salt and pepper
- Prepared white rice
- basil or chives (optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
To remove skin from tomatoes, cut an "X" into the bottom of each tomato.
Plunge tomatoes into boiling water for 10 or 15 seconds and remove from water using tongs. Starting with the "X", simply peel off the skin.
Cut tomatoes into quarter and squeeze out seeds. proceed to dice.
Add tomatoes, scallions, garlic, hot sauce, thyme, ginger, lemon zest and salt
Stir together to combine.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter has melted.
Place the fish skin side down in the skillet. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over the fillets. Spoon the tomato mixture over the top of the fish.
Cover the skillet and cook for 8 minutes, Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 5 to 8 minutes longer until the fish easily flakes and is cooked through. (This time will vary based on the thickness of the fish.)
Hint: While it isn't the end of the world if the skin separates from the fish, it helps to keep it in one piece for serving. That said, during cooking, occasionally use a spatula to lift the fish and make sure it isn't sticking.
Substitutions
- Red Snapper - Use any firm white fish, such as cod, grouper, haddock and even tilapia. Sole, flounder and mahi-mahi would also make excellent choices.
- Canned Tomatoes - No one can question that there is nothing like fresh sun-kissed tomatoes, but... if you must, substitute the fresh tomatoes for 2 cups of drained canned diced tomatoes. (I won't tell.)
- Shallots - For a slightly sharper onion taste, substitute a diced medium shallot for the scallions
- Lime or Orange - Either of these would be as equally as tasty as lemon
- Chunky Mild Salsa - to make this super stream-lined, replace the tomato mixture with a 16 oz. jar of chunky salsa and simply stir in the lemon zest, ginger and thyme before topping the fish
- Fresh Thyme - Fresh thyme can be replaced with a scant ½ teaspoon of dried thyme
Variations
- Smoky - instead of using hot pepper sauce, stir a minced chipotle pepper and a teaspoon of the adobo sauce into the tomato mixture
- Spanish Inspired - Add a diced Roasted Red Pepper instead of one of the tomatoes, ¼ cup chopped Green Olives and replace the lemon and lemon zest with Orange juice and zest. Add a few pinches of Smoked Paprika.
- Veracruz - Add ¼ cup chopped Green Olives, 1 tablespoon of Capers and half of a diced seeded Jalapeño to the tomato mixture
- Mango and Lime - Replace one of the tomatoes with a diced mango, and replace the lemon and lemon zest with lime juice and zest.
Equipment
- Large 12" skillet with a lid
Storage
Island red snapper is best served immediately, but can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
To keep the fish moist, reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Place the leftover cooking liquid in a skillet and top with fish fillet(s) topped with tomato mixture. Add more butter if needed and and squeeze more lemon over the top if desired. Cover and cook until warmed through.
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Simple Tomato and Citrus Red Snapper
Equipment
- large covered skillet
Ingredients
- 2 large tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped
- 3 scallions sliced, tender white and green parts
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce such as Tabasco
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- zest of half a lemon, plus juice of lemon
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 6- ounce red snapper fillets about 1-½ pounds
- Kosher salt and pepper
- prepared white rice
- basil or chives for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, scallions, garlic, hot sauce, thyme, ginger, lemon zest and salt.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter has melted.
- Place the fish skin side down in the skillet. Spoon butter/oil over top of fillets. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over the fillets. Evenly spoon the tomato mixture over the top of the fish.
- Cover the skillet and cook for 8 minutes, Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 5 to 8 minutes longer until the fish easily flakes and is cooked through. (This time will vary based on the thickness of the fish.)
- Serve tomato topped fillets over rice, spooning cooking juices over and around. Garnish with basil or chives if desired.
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