Mina's Baked Snapper

When you’ve got a gorgeous whole snapper on your hands, the right move is almost always to step back and let it shine. Mina’s version stands the cleaned fish upright in a casserole dish (a smart trick that promotes even cooking on both sides) and surrounds it with a Mediterranean-style bath of white wine, briny olives, and tomato sauce.

The spark of chopped jalapeño gives this an unexpected Latin twist that wakes up the otherwise classic flavor profile. Fennel (both the bulb and the feathery fronds for garnish) brings an anise sweetness that pairs beautifully with mild snapper. A hot 450°F (230°C) oven cooks the fish through in just 20 to 25 minutes, with the wine and tomato turning into a juicy pan sauce that tastes like the Italian and Mexican coasts decided to collaborate.

Chef Tips

• Look for clear eyes and bright red gills when buying whole snapper. Cloudy eyes mean older fish.
• Score the thickest part of the fish in 3 or 4 diagonal slits down to the bone. Heat penetrates faster and the fish cooks more evenly.
• Test for doneness by sliding a knife into the thickest part by the spine. The flesh should flake cleanly and look opaque, not translucent.
• Spoon the pan sauce over the fish a few times during baking to keep the top from drying out.
• Tear the warm bread or pile garlicky potatoes on the side to mop up that wine-tomato pan juice.

Variations

• Use sea bass, branzino, or red mullet in place of snapper for the same technique.
• Stuff the cavity with lemon slices, fresh thyme, and a few garlic cloves for extra aromatic depth.
• Skip the jalapenos and add a pinch of saffron for a Spanish-leaning version.