Florida Gulf Coast Red Snapper with Citrus Sauce

A successful haul off the coast of Anna Maria Island

My sister and I enjoyed another beautiful day off the Florida Gulf Coast last week fishing, eating and just being goofy sisters.

This trip we caught Red Snapper, a cobia and my first Tarpon.

Red Snapper is a wonderful white fish that is very briny and needs a big pow of seasonings to keep it from tasting too “fishy” . Our boat captain, Justin, suggested soaking in milk overnight. I just washed my fish very well and let the seasonings work for several hours.

I loaded my filets with a warm spice rub and then pan seared in olive oil spray. Then I lowered the heat, added 3 TBSP of butter, orange marmalade, and lots of bright lemon juice.

Serve with roasted vegetables and tons of fresh Florida mangos.

This dinner cooked up in just minutes. Perfect for a weeknight when you don’t have time to cook for an hour and need a healthy dinner onthe table quickly.

Yum!

Happy fishing.

Enjoy!

Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and Old Bay make up my spice rub

Ingredients

1 lb red snapper, cut into 4 filets- skin and bones removed
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 heaping tsp Old Bay Seasonings
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
For the sauce
3-4 TBSP unsalted butter
2 TBSP orange marmalade
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
olive oil spray for the pan

My sauce is simply lemon juice, butter and orange marmalade

Method- prep time 30 minutes. Cooking time 15 minutes

In a shallow dish or plate combine salt, pepper, Old Bay, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. Rub a generous amount of the spice blend onto each side of the filets to coat well. Chill the coated fish in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In a heavy pan over high heat, spray the olive oil until the pan is well coated. Add the fish to the hot pan.
With a fish spatula or thin spatula, turn the fish after 1 minute or when the fish easily releases from the surface of the pan. Do not force the fish- it wear tear. Cook on low heat for another 1-2 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan- keep warm.
In the same pan over medium low heat, melt the butter, stir in the marmalade and lemon juice whisking well to cook. Add the fish back to the pan spooning the sauce over the fish to coat.
Serve the snapper hot with extra sauce poured over each filet.