Best Vietnamese Red Snapper With Noodles Recipes

RECIPE: VIETNAMESE BAKED SNAPPER - CHRIS SHEPHERD RECIPE

Steps:

• Marinate the fish: In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the snapper. Add the fish, cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
• Make the nước mắm: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Cover and chill. Makes about 2 cups. Make ahead: The nước mắm can be made up to 2 weeks ahead.
• Make the pickled red onions: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar and star anise, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the rice wine vinegar, sliced onions and salt. Let sit until the onions turn pink and develop a pickled flavor, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the fish from the marinade, leaving a layer of it on the fillets, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Discard the leftover marinade. Bake until the fish is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, crisp the spring roll sheets. One sheet at a time, grill or microwave on high until the sheet crisps and puffs, 1 to 2 minutes. Break into bite-size pieces and set aside.
• To assemble: Divide the rice noodles among 4 bowls and lightly toss with some of the nước mắm. Place the lettuce leaves, cabbage, cilantro, dill and green onions in 1 large communal bowl or platter. To eat, place a piece of fish into each bowl and garnish with some of the greens and herbs along with the pickled red onions, peanuts, crispy spring roll sheets and additional nước mắm.

ROASTED RED SNAPPER WITH ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with foil. Oil the foil and fish with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the fish atop the foil. Sprinkle the fish cavity with salt and pepper. Squeeze 1/2 of the lemon inside the fish cavity. Fill the cavity with the onion, fennel and rosemary sprigs. Bake until the fish is just cooked through at the bone, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, squeeze the remaining lemon 1/2 into a small bowl. Whisk in the fennel fronds, rosemary, and garlic. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Season the lemon sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Using a sharp knife, separate the 2 fillets from the backbone. Using a metal spatula, transfer the top fillets to a plate. Lift the fish backbone from the bottom fillets (the backbone and head should come off together easily), and discard. Using the spatula, transfer the remaining fillets to plates. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. Drizzle the lemon sauce over the fish and serve.

VIETNAMESE RED SNAPPER WITH NOODLES

Steps:

• In a 1-gallon resealable freezer bag, combine the garlic, lemon grass, habaneros, shallots, fish sauce, ginger, sugar and turmeric. Mix all the ingredients around in the bag, then add the fish and seal the bag. Shake to coat the fish in the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
• Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Quickly rinse in cool water, drain well and divide among 4 serving bowls.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the fish along with its marinade. Remove the lemon grass and discard. Sprinkle the fish with the salt and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Flip the fish pieces over to lightly brown the other side, and cook another minute or so. Toss gently with a rubber spatula until all of the fish is cooked and the shallots are beginning to brown. Scatter the scallions, basil, cilantro and mint over the top. Spoon the fish over the rice noodles. Serve.

STEAMED WHOLE RED SNAPPER WITH ASIAN FLAVORS

Steps:

• Sprinkle inside of each fish with salt. Using sharp cleaver or knife, make 4 diagonal slits on 1 side of each fish, spacing equally and cutting to the bone. Insert 1 slice of ginger, 1 slice of garlic and 1 cilantro leaf into each slit. Turn fish over. Make 4 diagonal slits on second side of each fish and insert remaining sliced ginger, sliced garlic and cilantro leaves. Arrange fish in 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; refrigerate).
• Place a slice of ginger and garlic, then a whole cilantro leaf in each slit; they will add flavor to the fish during the steaming process. Hold back the flaps to insert the seasonings more easily.
• Pour enough water into wok or large pot to reach depth of 1 1/2 inches. Place bottom of 11- to 12-inch-diameter bamboo steamer over water in wok or open a steamer rack and place in pot. Place dish with fish in bamboo steamer (or on steamer rack). Curl tails if necessary to fit.
• The classic Chinese way to cook the fish is in a tiered bamboo steamer set over boiling water in a wok. Pour water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into the wok.
• If you don't have a bamboo steamer or a wok, you can use a vegetable steamer rack set in a large pot. The pot should be large enough to allow steam to circulate around the glass pie dish that holds the fish.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon each of chopped cilantro, shallots, lemongrass and green onions into dish around fish. Combine broth and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in cup and pour into dish. Bring water to boil. Cover bamboo steamer (or pot). Steam fish until just opaque in center at bone, about 18 minutes.
• Before steaming, surround the fish with chopped shallots, lemongrass, green onions, and cilantro. Then pour a broth and soy sauce mixture into the dish to flavor the fish as it cooks.
• Meanwhile, combine sesame oil and vegetable oil in heavy medium skillet. Add chopped ginger and chopped garlic, then 2 tablespoons each of chopped cilantro, shallots, lemongrass and green onions. Stir over medium heat until oil is hot and seasonings are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Pour seasoned oil into small bowl; add remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
• Using oven mitts as aid, transfer dish with fish to work surface. Using large spatula, transfer fish to platter. Spoon juices from dish over fish. Spoon some of seasoned oil over fish. Serve fish with rice; pass remaining seasoned oil.
• You may have to special-order whole fish from the supermarket or fish market.
• ** Available at Southeast Asian markets and in the produce section of some supermarkets.