Grit Crusted Mangrove Snapper

While my wife and I were in Clearwater Beach, FL for a long weekend, we made our customary stop to Wards Seafood Market to partake in their incredibly varied assortment of fresh fish. We went in knowing that we wanted to buy some Grouper, which we turned into Red Grouper with Jalapeno Pineapple Chutney. When we entered though, we saw a fish called Mangrove Snapper, and since we love to kayak in the mangroves at Caladesi Island State Park, it immediately called to us.

Not knowing anything about it, we asked about the fish itself, and the person helping us told us that it’s light and flaky. We asked whether it would hold up to being breaded and fried, and they said it certainly would! So, we bought a fillet, and we brought it home with us! From there, we breaded it with grits and made a mango cayenne sauce to serve it with. The fish was indeed light and flaky, and the grits added a nice bit of crispy crunchiness to the dish…and the sauce added some spicy/sweet notes, which went really well with the fish!

We served our snapper over Avocado Grits (which we will need to remake so we can post the recipe because it was really good) and sauteed spinach!

Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

• Snapper Fillet. We used Mangrove Snapper, but you can use whatever snapper is available.
• All Purpose Flour
• Egg
• Grits
• Salt
• Optional for sauce:
  • Mango
  • Cayenne or Chipotle Chili Powder
  • Water

Method:

• Peel your mango, and cut around the pit. Either puree it in a blender, or grate it with a box grater or lemon zester. Then, place it in a pot with a little water and some cayenne. Cover, and cook over low heat to cook.
• Arrange three shallow bowls on your counter. In the first, add a tablespoon of flour. In the second, beat an egg. In the third, sprinkle in some grits.
• Optional: Remove the skin from your fish with a fillet knife. The recipe also works well if you leave the skin on.
• Cut your fish into the size pieces you plan to serve. Then, sprinkle a little salt on your snapper.
• Working one at a time, coat each piece of fish in flour. Then, cover with your beaten egg. Finally, coat with your grits.
• When all your fish is coated in grits, heat some oil in a pan.
• Add your fish to the hot oil, and cook for around 5 minutes until the first side is golden brown and crispy.
• Flip, and cook until the other side is also golden brown and crispy (second side will happen quicker).
• Plate your fish, top with your sauce, which has been heating for a while now, devour, and enjoy!