Ingredients:
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/2 pounds whole red snapper -- cleaned, scaled
salt -- to taste
freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste
olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes -- peeled, seeded,
-- juiced, and
-- finely-diced
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice -- plus
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves -- (or 1 1/8 tspns
-- dried oregano)
1/8 teaspoon chopped garlic -- mashed to a paste
6 large kalamata olives - -- (abt 2 oz), pitted
3 1/2 sticks butter -- cold
1/2 cup finely-minced shallots - -- (abt 12 large)
1 cup retsina -- plus
6 tablespoons retsina
fresh oregano sprigs or dry branches -- for garnish |
Preparation:
Prepare a hot charcoal fire. Season fish inside and out with salt, pepper and olive oil. In a small bowl combine tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons oregano leaves finely minced, and garlic paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix well. Finely dice olives with 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves, transfer to a small bowl and moisten with a few drops of olive oil. Prepare Beurre Blanc Sauce: In a heavy small saucepan melt 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat, add shallots and 2 tablespoons oregano and saute, stirring constantly until shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 cup of Retsina, bring to a boil and reduce over high heat until only about 1 tablespoon of liquid is left. Add 1/4 cup of Retsina, reduce heat to low and add 1 tablespoon of cold butter. Incorporate butter with a whisk, moving pan on and off heat as necessary to melt butter to a creamy sauce. Continue to add butter, whisking, 1 tablespoon at a time, until 3 sticks have been incorporated. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan; it will be fairly thick. Thin to desired sauce consistency with up to 2 tablespoons of remaining Retsina. Keep sauce warm over very low heat while you finish cooking fish. While sauce is reducing, place red snapper in a hinged grilling basket and grill 5 to 10 minutes per side, basting occasionally with olive oil and turning once, until just cooked through. When fish is done, divide into 4 fillet portions. Place each fillet in center of a warmed plate. Place tomato mixture in a sieve and squeeze out excess juice. Mound 3 spoonfuls of tomato evenly around border of each plate. Nestle a small spoonful of olive mixture against each mound of tomato. Rewarm sauce, if needed and spoon it around fish, tomatoes and olives. Garnish with oregano leaves or with a dried oregano branch. |
