Sauteed Red Snapper

In our travels in the motor home, we never know what to expect.  When we left the DFW area after the holidays, we ran into a couple of snags which delayed our travels.  We ended up in Port Arthur, Texas waiting for a part that had to be ordered.  The fact that it broke on a Sunday morning did not help our case in trying to find a replacement.  The next day was New Year's Eve day and further delayed our options in ordering our part.  With the delays of the weekend and holiday it ended up taking 9 days to get and have installed the needed part.  We are thrilled to be on the road again.  We are now in Fort Walton Beach, Florida which is just west of Destin. 

We arrived yesterday afternoon and will be here for a week.  We checked out a couple of local fish markets while we scoped out the area yesterday and I decided on red snapper fillets for dinner tonight.  The local fish markets had an ample supply of whole red snappers which looked absolutely fabulous and so I knew the snapper fillets would be impeccably fresh. 

I decided on a very simple process for the fish so that we would be able to simply enjoy the taste of the snapper.  It turned out very well as far as the taste of the fish, however I did fail to get a crispy fish skin in the process which is one thing I was aiming for.  The fish itself was superb, but I think the contrast of the crispy skin would have elevated the dish to a whole different level.  I can't wait to buy another fillet and experiment with the right pans, oils, and temperatures to achieve that crispy skin.  I'll keep you posted when I succeed.

I served the fish fillets with simply boiled red potatoes and oven roasted broccoli.

Sauteed Red Snapper
Makes 4 servings

1 red snapper fillets (10 to 12 ounces), with skin
Coarse salt, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil

Cut the snapper fillet in half crosswise.  Season flesh with salt and cayenne pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet (I used my stainless steel All-Clad) over medium-high heat until hot (but not smoking).  Place snapper fillets, skin sides down, in skillet, pressing on fish with a spatula for 1 minute to prevent curling.  Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Flip, and cook until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes minutes more.

Slight adapted from Martha Stewart.com

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