Crisp Red Snapper with Onion Agrodolce Recipe

Crisp Red Snapper with Onion Agrodolce

from Matthew Kenney's Mediterranean Cooking

Ingredients:

1 large orange
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large sweet onions such as Vidalia, chopped (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 1/4 cups pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon coarsely cracked coriander seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
Cayenne
1/4 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
4 red snapper fillets (5 to 6 ounces each), skin on
1/4 cup canola oil
24 steamed new potatoes
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

This and many other wonderful recipes may be found in
Matthew Kenney's Mediterranean Cooking

Rice flour is becoming more and more available with the rapid increase of Asian markets throughout the country. Look for Chinese rice flour (made from long grain rice) rather than Japanese rice flour, which is made from glutinous rice. Pomegranate juice is available at Middle Eastern markets or by mail. The interplay of sweet-and-sour - agrodolce in Italian - is very common in the Mediterranean, particularly with seafood.

With a vegetable peeler, peel off four 2 x 1-inch strips from the orange. Blanch the strips in 2 cups boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and cut into thin julienne strips. Juice the orange.

Put the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and cook the onions, covered, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the orange strips, pine nuts, and sugar. Raise the heat and add the orange juice and vinegar. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chives and set aside.

Combine the pomegranate juice, honey, coriander seeds, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Reduce to 1/4 cup over medium-high heat, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in 1 tablespoon of the butter, the cilantro, and cayenne to taste. Taste for salt. Keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow bowl, mix the rice flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon cayenne with 1/2 cup water. Put the canola oil in a heavy ovenproof, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the fish in the rice flour batter and cook, skin side up, for 2 to 3 minutes, turn and cook 2 to 3 minutes more until golden brown. Put into the oven for 3 minutes.

Toss the potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Divide equally among 4 plates. Top with fish. Place the onion mixture to the side and drizzle with pomegranate sauce.