Red Snapper with Tomato and Shiitake Mushrooms (serves 2)

This is a simple and easy dish to make.  There are several places to buy whole snapper; Whole Foods Market, H-Mart, and other Asian groceries carry them.  If you cannot find red snapper you may substitute with another fish such as trout.  I prefer to make this dish using whole fish.  However, you can make it with fish fillets.  I also like to scale my fish well so that I can enjoy the crispy skin. This dish is great with steamed rice.

Ingredients:

1 medium size red snapper, scaled, gutted and washed well
1/8 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
4 T canola oil
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms*, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 scallions, chopped
1 t grated ginger
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped or sliced thinly (optional)
3 roma tomatoes, diced

1 t mirin

1/4 t sugar
1 T oyster sauce
3-4 T chicken stock or water (optional)
1/4 C chopped cilantro
4-5 sprigs of cilantro, garnish (optional)

Method:

1) Clean and dry the fish.  Score each side of the fish, rub the sides and inside the belly with salt and pepper.
2) Heat a medium size pan with 2 T oil over high heat.  Once the pan is hot place the fish on the pan, turn down the heat to medium high and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until the fish is golden brown, cover the pan for 2-4 minutes during the cooking process*.
3) Remove the fish after cooking and place it on a large plate or platter.  Wipe the pan with a paper towel and add 1 T oil to the cleaned pan.
4) Add shiitake mushrooms and scallions to the pan.  Saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5) Add 1 T oil to the pan, then add ginger, garlic, shallots, and tomato. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
6) Add mirin, sugar, and oyster sauce, cook for 1 minute.  May add 3-4 T chicken stock or water if you want the topping to be more saucy.  Cook for 1-2 more minutes.
7) Add cilantro and turn off heat.
8) Pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

score the fish and add pepper
and salt to both sides
and belly

fry the fish until golden brown

sauté the shiitake mushrooms
and scallions

add the cilantro at the end
and turn off heat

fresh local garlic, Wild Miller Gardens in Lee, NH*

*If you do not have fresh shiitake mushrooms you may substitute for other fresh mushrooms such as white button, baby portabella mushrooms or whichever type you prefer.
*Depending on where you are cooking the fish or the size of your fish the length of cooking may vary.  I cooked my fish outside and it was about 35 degrees F.  It took me a little longer to cook and I had to cover the pan partially in order for the fish to cook through.  If you are cooking fish fillets for this dish your cooking time will be much shorter.
*My husband and I went to the Farmer's Market at Exeter High School (NH) this afternoon and the place was buzzing with excitement.  There were so many interesting vendors selling all sorts of produce.  Here is the Seacoast Eat Local Winter Farmers' Market schedule:  
Saturdays 10 am-2pm, November to April, twice monthly.  For the Rollinsford and Exeter markets, see the website for details, kate@seacoasteatlocal.org and www.seacoasteatlocal.org.  
*The fresh local garlic came from Wild Miller Gardens in Lee, NH.  If you are interested in buying locally grown garlic and other produce from Joel and Annalisa please visit their website at www.wildmillergardens.com, 603-988-4658.  Thank you Joel and Annalisa for the lovely garlic!!