My sister’s friend caught a huge snapper and gave it to her. She cleaned and removed the scales of the snapper and then gave it to me to bake. This is the second snapper recipe. I never like buying a whole fish; I can’t stand the fishy smell. I will only get the fillets, mostly salmon. The snapper is huge and won’t fit into my baking tray; I had to cut the tail off. My oven is old, and its temperature is uneven, so I have to turn the tray around. Some parts are dark and lightly charred. It’s a pity nobody eats the head, and I had to throw it away. This time I added extra ingredients.

Google: “Mediterranean cuisine is a label referring to the culinary trends shared by diverse peoples living around the Mediterranean Sea. It uses sweet and aromatic spices like oregano, thyme, basil, coriander, paprika, fennel, tarragon, sage, and rosemary. Seafood is a main feature, and Italy is famous for its diverse and flavourful Mediterranean cuisine, including iconic pasta dishes, classic pizzas, and risottos that embrace fresh ingredients, aromatic herbs, and rich flavours. Italian cuisine is heavily influenced by Mediterranean flavours, including olive oil, fresh produce, seafood, and aromatic herbs and spices.“

I have written down the Mediterranean styles (herbs & spices) below so you can make them and stored in an airtight bottle and use them when needed. Everyone enjoyed it, there are a lot of flesh, we had second helping. My family enjoyed it and say it was flavourful and delicious. Let’s baked the snapper!!!

Ingredients

1 huge whole snapper, cleaned and gutted
1 red capsicum, sliced into bite sizes 
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 lemons, sliced to stuff in the cavity and put on the lined, oiled baking tray
1 small lemon sliced to stuff in snapper in between the slits
5 Tbs pro activ spread, melted or butter
6 stalks of parsley, stuffed into the cavity
4 Tsp Mediterranean styles (herbs & spices) {See the ingredients below}
2 Tsp garlic salt powder
2 Tsp ginger powder
2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
1 Tsp ginger powder
1 Tsp garlic salt
olive oil 
salt
pepper

Mediterranean styles (herbs & spices)

2 Tsp garlic powder
2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
2 Tsp chili flakes
1 Tsp dried basil
1 Tsp paprika powder
1 Tsp dried thyme
1/2 Tsp fennel seeds
1/2 Tsp marjoram
salt
pepper

Method

Preheat oven 220 degrees C. Pat snapper dry. With a sharp knife, trim off tail a bit to fit into double lined and lightly oil foil baking tray. Then cut off fins and make 3 slits on each side of snapper. Wipe and pat dry again. Next shakes garlic salt, ginger powder, salt and pepper all over the snapper: inside the cavity, the slits, and outsides both sides.

Brush some oil inside the cavity and on the side of snapper that will be lying on top of lemon slices. Place snapper with the oiled side on to the top of lemon slices in the prepared baking tray. Then stuff the cavity with lemon slices, parsley stalks, some onion slices and 2 capsicum slices. Next push the small lemon slices, some onion into slits with a bit of oil. Put the snapper back into fridge to air dry further.

Meantime, make the Mediterranean styles spice: combine all the spices powder, salt, and pepper in a deep plate. The remaining stored in an air tight bottle and in the pantry. You need only 4 Tsp of it. Add it to the melted pro activ spread, and 2 Tsp Italian Seasoning, 2 Tsp ginger powder, 2 Tsp garlic salt. Mix well.

Bring out the snapper from the fridge after about 5 minutes. Spoon some Mediterranean butter sauce into the cavity with the stuffing. Then, into the slits, head, and all over the whole snapper, sprinkle some onto capsicum and onion slices around the snapper with the remaining Mediterranean butter sauce and generously drizzle with oil. Put the capsicum slices on top of the snapper with some parsley leaves.

Reduce the temperature to 200 degrees C. Place baking tray on the lowest oven rack. Roast for 22-25 minutes; halfway through I turn the tray around as my oven temperature is uneven. Baked until snapper and vegetables are cooked through; charred slightly the snapper. Leave the snapper in the oven for about 3 minutes, with door close and switch off oven. Serve it straight from oven in baking tray. Serve it with white wine and anything you like. Enjoy!!!!

Note: Oven temperature may vary depending on size of snapper and how many. You might need less time if you don’t want a charred snapper. You don’t have to turn your baking tray. You may use fresh lemon juice to squeeze the juice all over the snapper. You can serve portion snapper using the slits. Serve it with wedges of the remaining lemon and salad. I served my snapper with fried vermicelli my mom cooked.

You can make it Asian flavour: using fresh garlic, ginger, hot oil, spring onion, lemongrass paste, fresh chili, and sweet chili sauce. Or you can add Baharat powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chili powder and curry powder. You can use any root vegetables: potatoes, carrots and fennel. You can add tomatoes or three colours capsicum. You can add olives slices.

https://helenscchin.com/2024/11/16/baked-snapper-capsicum-onion-with-mediterranean-butter-sauce/

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