Baked Snapper with garlic and tomatoes

Recipe Categories : | French | Seafood | Snapper |


Serves : 4-6  Preparation time : 25 minutes  Cooking time : 30-40 minutes

Ingredients :

• 1 x 1kg whole snapper
• 3 slices lemon
• 1 small onion, thickly sliced
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  For sauce :
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tspn sugar
• 3 anchovies, mashed
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 x 440g can tomatoes, chopped juice reserved
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• sprig fresh thyme
• extra thyme leaves and lemon slices, to garnish

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. To prepare Fish : Remove any loose scales, trim tail to a V shape, remove fins. Wipe out gut area with damp absorbent paper. Place lemon slices, onion, garlic clove and thyme into gutted cavity. Score the thickest part of the fish with two diagonal slashes. Turn fish over and slash the other side. Rub outside of fish with olive oil. Place in baking dish.
3. To make sauce : Heat oil in pan, add garlic and onion and cook stirring until onion browns. Stir in sugar, anchovies, white wine, chopped tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, lemon juice and fresh thyme. Simmer uncovered until sauce is reduced by a third and thickened slightly.
4. Pour sauce over the prepared fish. Bake for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when loosened with a fork. Serve on a heated platter, garnish with thyme leaves and lemon slices.
5. Cooks notes : This dish can be served either hot or cold. It is important to serve it at room temperature, not chilled. Cook as above, cover and set aside until it cools.