Baked snapper fillets with preserved lemon butter, green peas, fennel, almonds
Don't be afraid of cooking fish. It is one of the most simple and satisfying proteins to cook, and this recipe is one of the most foolproof ways to cook it. The flavours in this dish are all about delicate freshness - you don't want to overpower the fish.
Ingredients
4 baby snapper fillets, scaled and deboned
200g butter
1 small preserved lemon, flesh discarded and skin diced
½ bunch thyme, stems removed
5 strands of saffron
4 miniature fennel bulbs
2 white zucchini, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup whole roasted almonds, skin on and roughly chopped
1 cup green peas
1 tbsp fennel seeds
sea salt
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Mix together the butter, preserved lemon and thyme.
3. Season the fish with a little sea salt, olive oil and saffron.
4. Place fish skin-side down on to some non-stick baking paper.
5. Place half the butter on top of the fish fillets, and then wrap them in foil to make an airtight package.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. In boiling salted water cook vegetables, fennel first until three-quarters cooked, then add the zucchini.
8. While the vegies are still hot, warm the remaining butter in a separate pan and add the almonds, peas, fennel seeds and the cooked fennel and zucchini. Toss to coat and season with lemon juice, zest and salt.
9. Remove the fish from the oven, gently place the fish on a platter and cover with the vegetables.
Tips
If you can, bake the fish on the dish you'll serve it on – that way, you are less likely to damage the fish by trying to transfer it.
For another side dish, try my pearl cous cous salad.
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