We all know that the federal government is way smarter than anybody here at the local level can ever hope to be.
Wisdom, as we all agree, flows from the top down to the yokels like me. They do it in such a way that allows me to wrap my puny brain around it my head exploding.
Take red snapper, for instance.
For years, the folks who live closest to the water had a lot to say about how many of these tasty red creatures that fishermen could take at a time. The ultimate decision was made at a much higher pay grade, but they at least gave a listen to what the locals had to say.
Not so much any longer. Nowadays, the limit is set at two fish per person. You read that right: two fish. That’s hardly worth the cost of fuel to make it out to catch a red snapper.
And catching isn’t a problem; there are plenty of fish in the sea (so to speak) and to make matters to worse, the red snapper season is only 28 days.
It ends on at 12:01 a.m. on June 29 so that means if you want to snag yourself some of these very popular fish then you best get busy.
Fortunately, red snapper are widely available from commercial fishermen. But trust me, they just taste better when you catch them yourself and two snapper are better than none.
Ok, here’s a fine recipe that’s just perfect for Father’s Day. If you can’t take dad fishing, fix him a wonderful meal featuring local seafood.
This recipe is from one of Birmingham's top chefs, George Reis. He is the owner/chef of two of the city's top-end eateries, Ocean and 26.
He formulated it specifically with Gulf snapper in mind.
Gulf Coast Crispy Skin Snapper with Local Butternut Squash, Smoked Bacon Risotto and Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette
Makes 6 servings
4 each 6-ounce Gulf snapper filets, skin on
Salt and pepper, to taste
1½ ounces canola oil
1 small butternut squash; peeled, seeded & steamed
3 slices smoked bacon, diced
1 cup risotto
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 shallot diced
Olive oil
Season snapper with salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Place snapper skin side down into sauté pan. Place a small piece of aluminum foil over snapper.
Place another sauté pan on foil to press the skin down on the pan. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook until skin is well browned and crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove pan, flip fish and cook the rest of the way through.
In a medium sauce pan sauté the shallot in olive oil until translucent. Add risotto and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add just enough stock to cover and simmer. As stock cooks out add more. Cook until just done, about 15-18 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another sauté pan over medium heat, cook diced bacon until almost done. Add butternut squash and cook for 3- 4 minutes. Hold aside. As risotto is almost finished add squash bacon mixture. Finish risotto.
Place a spoonful of risotto on a plate, top with snapper skin side up. Ladle 2-2½ ounces of vinaigrette over fish. (We use our tomato vinaigrette, but many others will work)