Mutton snapper are the only sport fish in Florida that thrive in depths from 3 feet to over 300 feet of water. That gives it an extraordinary range and a wide variety of habitats where it can thrive. Their key spawning ground in Florida is a place known as Riley’s Hump, a reef area near the Dry Tortugas in the the Florida Keys. This area is now protected from fishing, assuring a good supply of this fine-eating snapper for the future.*

The fillets are firmer than red snapper, so they can stand up to a little more heat.  Nice thick fillets can get a crispy crust in a cast-iron skillet, just like grouper.  The key to a crispy crust is cooking the fish mainly on one side.  My husband’s mantra while he cooks it:  resist the urge to flip.  He likes to wait until it’s 3/4 of the way done to turn it.  I do not have the patience (is it done yet?  how about now?), so I leave him to it.

That’s when I make this sauce.  It’s a variation of chimichurri, with cilantro and parsley and garlic, all blended into a fresh bright green drizzle for fish, meat and vegetables.

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Crispy Mutton Snapper with Cilantro Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

• Mutton snapper, grouper or other firm white fish fillets
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil per fish fillet
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cups cilantro
• 2 cups flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

For the sauce:  Pulse the garlic, salt, lime juice, honey and red pepper flakes in a food processor.  Add the cilantro and parsley, turn the machine on and drizzle the olive oil in through the top tube.  If needed, stop the machine and use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Continue to blend until it’s liquified.

For the fish:  Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high.  Melt the coconut oil in the pan.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the fish fillet. Once the oil is hot, place the fish in the pan.  Pick up the pan and shake the fish loose every minute or so.  Continue to do this until the fish is 3/4 of the way cooked on one side.  It will be opaque white around the edges, with just a little pink in the middle.  This can take anywhere from 6-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.  Flip the fish and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute on the other side, or just until it’s done.  Put the fish on a platter and drizzle it with the cilantro garlic sauce.

*Thank you, Mark Malizia, sport fishing consultant to suwanneerose.com.