Food Network: Crispy Boneless Whole Fish with Sofrito

	Print 3x5 Recipe Cards
	Print this recipe out and cut along the dotted lines to add this 3x5 recipe card to your personal collection.

Crispy Boneless Whole Fish with Sofrito
Recipe courtesy Michelle Bernstein

Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 (2 to 3 pound) whole snapper, remove center bones, keep head and tail intact
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour, for dusting
4 eggs beaten with 1 cup buttermilk, as an egg wash
Sofrito, recipe follows
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Extra-large skewers for shaping fish, but small enough to fit in the pot

Directions

In a large deep pot, fitted with a deep frying
thermometer, preheat 5 inches oil to 325 degrees F.

Starting at the tail end, push the skewer crosswise just above the tail, and bend
the fish into an "s" shape and attach the skewer through the head, just in front
of the front fin.

Season the fish and dust with the flour. Place in the egg wash. Place back in the
flour. Shake off excess.

Fry the fish at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until golden and cooked
through.

Season with salt and pepper when removing from the fryer. Set on paper towels to

drain oil. Serve with sofrito and garnish with cilantro.

Ingredients
Sofrito:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow pepper, minced
1 red pepper, minced
1 red onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 scotch bonnet, minced
1 tablespoon minced aji amarillo
1 fennel bulb, minced
Pinch saffron
1 cup amontillado Sherry

1 cup fish stock or clam juice
1 lime
1 bunch cilantro, pick leaves and chop stems

Directions
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add all the dry
ingredients. Cook for about 5 minutes, until all vegetables are soft and the
saffron is toasted. Add the wine, reduce half way. Add the stock and reduce half
way. Finish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.