Zesty Baked Snapper

Snappers have long been a favorite of mine, so let me share with you a mouth-watering recipe that you will love!  It’s very easy to prepare, too.  The lemon juice and hot peppers add a delightful zest.  Just have all your ingredients ready and shop for a fresh snapper from your local market.  At the end of this recipe, I have given some tips on how to find fresh snappers.

Serves 2.

Main ingredient:

•  250 grams of snapper fillet

Marinade Ingredients: all ingredients to be mixed together.

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoons liquid margarine

Sauce Ingredients: all ingredients to be mixed together.

• 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 hot pepper, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• A little olive oil

Directions:

1. Cut the fish into six square sections.
2. Whisk together marinade ingredients in a bowl.
3. Marinate the fish with the marinade mixture, and then set aside for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to set in. This will add the taste to it.
4. Grill the fish on open flame. Baste it continuously with the marinade and turn it frequently so that it is cooked from all sides.
5. If you cannot grill on coals, you can use your microwave to cook it.
6. There are two ways you can serve it. The first is the juicy way: remove the fish from heat as soon as it is cooked.  The second way is crispy and deep roasted: deep roast the fish until crispy.
7. Serve with sauce and enjoy!

Cooking Time: +/- 30 minutes

The sumptuous meal should be eaten while still hot. You can also add vegetables like carrots or boiled potatoes to make it healthier. Hope you enjoy cooking this oh-so-tasty meal!

Tips for cooking:

1. Avoid using butter as spreads. It can affect the taste in this particular recipe.
2. While preparing the sauce, use finely chopped fried onions and mix with hot olive oil.

Tips to find fresh snapper:

1. Check the smell.  Fresh fish should not smell pungent.
2. Check the gills. Fresh fish have bright red gills.
3. Look at its eyes.  It should have bulging, bright, clear eyes. Also, the shape of the eyes change when the fish is preserved.
4. Press its body.  It should be taut and spring back when pressed.  If the indention remains, that is a sign the fish might be days old.
5. If possible, always but directly from the fisherman, or the fishing broker.  Avoid using chemical preservatives.