Just about any whole fish will work for this recipe—just make sure it's super fresh. The topping, a mix of winter citrus with a sprinkling of crunchy pistachios, is really what makes this dish stand out. We love the kumquats and Meyer lemons that are now in season, but oranges, grapefruits and limes would be lovely as well.
To learn more, read "Fin City."
Roasted Red Snapper with Citrus and Pistachios
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
One 3½- to 4-pound red snapper fish or two 2-pound head-on snappers, scaled and gutted
4 sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
1 tablespoon capers in brine, drained
¼ cup thinly sliced kumquats
2 tablespoons finely diced Meyer lemon or 1 tablespoon preserved lemon
1 lime, thinly sliced, plus the juice of ½ lime
1 orange, thinly sliced
¼ cup shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted, roughly chopped
Aleppo pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Place the fish on a clean work surface and make three 3-inch-long slashes on each side of the snapper. Stuff the cavity with the thyme and garlic, and rub the snapper all over with olive oil. Season both sides of the fish with salt.
2. Place the snapper on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast until the flesh is just flaky, 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the capers, kumquats, Meyer lemon, lime slices and juice, and orange slices. Season with salt and toss.
4. Top the roasted fish with the citrus-caper mixture, pistachios and a sprinkling of Aleppo pepper, and serve.
