Hot Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Red Snapper

This is a Gulf Coast showpiece: a whole red snapper packed with a rich seafood-and-egg stuffing built around crab meat and shrimp. It looks like restaurant food on the plate but the technique is straightforward home cooking once you know the steps.

The stuffing starts with an unusual roux. Instead of the classic flour-and-fat starter, this version whisks together hot water, melted butter and beaten eggs, then thickens with flour over medium heat. The result is more like a thick custard binder than traditional French roux, and it holds the seafood and aromatics together inside the fish.

Fifteen minutes of slow stirring is what gives the binder its smooth body. Rush it and you get scrambled eggs. Stir constantly and keep the heat at a steady medium.

Fresh lump crab meat makes a difference. Canned crab works but doesn’t have the same sweet richness. Same with the shrimp, use medium peeled shrimp chopped into bite-size pieces, not the tiny salad ones.

The dry white wine added off-heat just before stuffing the fish adds a brightness that balances the rich butter-and-egg base. Don’t skip it. Lemon juice or chicken broth work in a pinch.

Bake until the snapper flakes easily at the thickest part. A whole 3 to 4 pound fish takes 40 to 60 minutes at 350°F (175°C).

Chef Tips

• Ask your fishmonger to scale and gut the snapper, leaving head and tail on for presentation.
• Score the fish skin in 2-inch slashes on each side before stuffing. This helps even cooking and looks beautiful.
• Brush the outside with melted butter and season generously before baking.
• Test doneness with a fork at the thickest part behind the head: flesh should flake cleanly.

Variations

• Use grouper, sea bass or even a large rainbow trout if snapper isn’t available.
• Add ¼ cup of fresh chopped parsley and a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning to the stuffing for Maryland-style flavor.
• Serve over a bed of rice pilaf to soak up the savory pan juices.