One of the things we can be grateful for in Florida is the delicious fresh fish at our fingertips. So, fish it up and then dish it up…and do it well! You would be doing all of the Floridians out there a disservice if your fish recipes were subpar – or is that sub-gar? Just kidding!

But seriously folks, if you are looking for a lip-smacking fish recipe, you need to try “Red Snapper with Baby Potatoes, Wild Mushroom and Artichoke Ragout with Vierge Sauce.”  It’s a fish dish you won’t soon forget!

• Ragout:
• 4 (7-ounce) snapper fillets, skin on, scaled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 small baby potatoes
• 1 small Spanish onion, chopped
• 1 can medium artichoke hearts, halved
• 1 1/2 cups mixed wild mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sauce Vierge:
• 2 lemons
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5-6 compari tomatoes, seeded, and diced small
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

For the Fish:
Season the snapper with salt and pepper. Pour about 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, but not smoking, place snapper into the pan skin side down, and then press down on the filets so it does not curl up and completely browns the skins. Now turn down the heat to about medium and DO NOT touch the fish. The skin will become crispy and release from the pan. Cook for about 4 minutes on the skin side, then turn over, and cook for about 2 more minutes or just until done. Keep warm.

For the Ragout:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the potatoes and onions. Saute them until they start to brown a little, approximately 5-6 minutes. Add the artichokes and mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then add the chicken stock to the pan. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Before plating drizzle remaining tablespoon of olive oil into the ragout. Serve warm.

For the Sauce Vierge:
Cut the lemons in half. Squeeze juice from 3 halves of the lemons into a bowl, removing any seeds that may fall into the bowl. Slice the remaining half of lemon into thin slices, and place them in the bowl. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and parsley to the bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine.

Spoon the ragout into deep plates or shallow bowls. Top the ragout with the fish, crispy skin side up. Drizzle the sauce on top of the fish and serve immediately. 

But first, before you can cook it, you have to catch it. So get out there and have some fun. Good tidings and tight lines my friends!

Credit where credit is due…This recipe was found at keyingredient.com.