Caribbean Cookbook: Pan-Roasted Snapper From Antigua’s Curtain Bluff

THE LATEST edition of Caribbean Cookbook comes to you from the Curtain Bluff resort in Antigua, home to Executive Chef Christophe Blatz.

The resort’s chef has been kind enough to share his recipe for pan-roasted snapper with Caribbean Cookbook, which you’ll find below.

Pan Roasted Filet of Ocean Queen Red Snapper Eggplant Caponata & Lemongrass-Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Vegetable Garnish
1 yellow Zucchini cut in to strip with a Mandolin
1 Green Zucchini cut in to strip with a Mandolin
4 Green Asparagus cut in to strip with a Mandolin
1 medium Purple Potato cut in to strip with a Mandolin Olive oil

Lemon Grass Vinaigrette
4 cm piece of Lemon Grass Finely Chopped
10 gr of finely chopped chives
30 ml rice vinegar
200 ml olive oil
Coriander leaves finely chopped
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl season with pepper to taste and let rest so the flavor can combine for 2 hours before serving

Pan-Roasted Red Snapper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:
1. Season the snapper fillets with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
2. Place a sauté pan large enough to accommodate all the fillets over medium-high heat. Add the snapper and lower the heat to medium. Cook until well-browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn the fillets over and cook 1 more minute.
3. Remove the snapper filet, use the same pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil add the purple potato strip and sautéed for 3 minutes then add the rest of the vegetable and sautéed for a other 3 minutes
4. Season with salt and pepper
Yield: Serves 8-10 as an appetizer.

Caponata
INGREDIENTS
1 globe eggplant – about 1 lb, diced
Salt
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 small onion, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
4- plum tomatoes, finely chopped
3 Tbsp small capers, drained
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped basil

METHOD
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery, season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften – about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes more. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Wipe the pan with a paper towel, turn the heat to high and add the remaining olive oil. Let this heat until the oil is nearly smoking. Add the eggplant and spread it out in as thin a layer as you can in the skillet. Let this sizzle for 1-2 minutes before stirring, then let it sit for a full minute before stirring again. Cook like this for 5-6 minutes.

Add the onion-celery mixture, the tomatoes, olives, capers and red pepper flakes. Stir well. Add the vinegar and tomato paste and stir once more. Cook, stirring occasionally until eggplant is very soft, about 8 minutes. Mix in the basil.
Ready to serve

Bon appetit!

— CJ