The delicate sweetness of red snapper is front and center in this easy-to-make dinner. You can always ask your local fishmonger to clean and scale the whole fish for you. They’ll know what to do.


Serves four.

Ingredients

Fish

  • 1 (2- to 3-pound) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
  • 2-3 scallions
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 inch chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • handful of cherry tomatoes
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Bok Choy

  • 2 pounds fresh bok choy
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons mirin rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Clean and dry the fish with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Combine scallions, garlic, ginger, cilantro, tomato, lemon juice, pepper flakes, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a food processor and pulse a few times to create a salsa-like texture. Do not puree.
  • Cut slits in the fish all the way to the bone and 2-2 ½ inches apart. Place the fish on a sheet of foil. Put the sauce into the slits on both sides of the fish first, then spread the remaining bits evenly all over.
  • Drizzle the remaining olive oil around the fish. Place another sheet of foil over the fish. Back at 400°F for about 40 minutes or until the fish is done.
  • Melt butter in a large deep skillet. Mince garlic into butter and sauté until fragrant. Add the mirin and soy sauce.
  • Place the bok choy in a skillet over medium heat and add the salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover snugly with a lid and cook, shaking occasionally until the bok choy is wilted and cooked through.