let the good times roll with snapper creole!

mardi gras season is here again! once again we have an excuse to prepare recipes from one of america’s greatest (if not the greatest) food towns. in the past we’ve shared recipes for gumbo, jambalaya, whole bbq shrimp, fish with crab rémoulade, shrimp rémoulade, oysters rockefeller and blackened bluefish. we’ve been bringing in some gorgeous whole genuine gulf (beware of imposters!) red snapper from florida lately and i can’t imagine anything more elegant, beautiful, delicious and celebratory than a whole red snapper steaming on a platter; especially served with a classic creole sauce. this sauce starts out, as many cajun and creole recipes do, with the holy trinity- celery, onion and green bell peppers, and we build it up from there.

if you can’t find domestic red snapper you’d be better off using another species of domestic snapper such as yellowtail, vermillion, mutton or mango snappers. imported snapper usually aren’t as fresh and watch for mislabeled fish that are sometimes sold as the pricier genuine american reds. these fish have a nutty, sweet flavor and a firm texture that can be prepared in almost any style. the acidic, savory and spicy sauce for today’s recipe goes perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the snapper. enjoy and “laissez les bon temps rouler!”