Pan Roasted Yellowtail Snapper

Description

Ingredients to Serve-4

Ingredients

2   1 ½ pound   Whole Yellowtail Snapper
4   sprigs   fresh mint
4   sprigs   fresh fennel branch
4   sprigs   fresh thyme
1   whole   lemon, thinly sliced
2   cloves   garlic, chopped
1   teaspoon   sea salt
½    teaspoon    freshly ground black pepper
4   tablespoons   extra virgin olive oil
½   cup     freshly brewed hot green tea
1   large pinch   saffron

Preparation

To prepare the Yellowtail snapper: To begin gut, scale and wash the yellowtails. Trim the fins and tail. Using a very sharp knife, cut across the fish: four deep slashes about 2 inches apart- into the skin through the flesh just to the bone. Repeat the cuts on both sides of each fish.

To season the prepared fish: Separate half of the herbs and the sprigs. Stuff these into the belly cavity of both fish along with 3-4 slices of lemon. Clean the remaining herbs and roughly chop. Set aside in a small bowl. Mix herbs with the garlic, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Generously season the yellowtail, including the flesh cuts.

To Pan roast the Yellowtail: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On the stovetop, heat a large ovenproof skillet with the remaining olive oil. Place the yellowtail into the pan and cook over medium high heat for 2 minutes until well browned. With a large spatula turn the fish and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Place the whole pan in the oven to finish cooking the yellowtail for about 4-5 minutes. The fish can be checked for doneness by checking for a soft flake of the fish in the seasoning slashes.

To finish the Yellowtail: Stir the saffron into the freshly brewed green tea. Add the remainder of the lemon into the fish skillet and pour the saffron tea into the pan to steam and deglaze the pan. Serve the yellowtail with the herbs, lemon, and pan juices.