Sunday Feast № 52 | Roasted Red Snapper with Rosemary and Fennel

About a year ago, a photo of red mullet with fennel appeared in front of me again. OK. Less dramatic: I was looking for a Christmas Eve fish dish that was not carp. I went to one of my local stores that still has the fishmonger-like stand and one that seemed the most likely to have less standard fish options despite still being a supermarket, and looked for mullet. Saw none and asked - yes, actually interacted in the supermarket with someone beyond a cashier! I was told that this supermarket doesn't carry mullet due to its poor sustainability. "What is a good substitute then?" "Sea bass is one." It was good. Just did not have the red tinge on in its scales, and I suppose that's what I wanted. Too.    But red snapper does! What's more, supermarket next door always has it and I had a roasted red snapper recipe ferreted away already. This one was from Food Network courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, which is rather fitting since the red mullet recipe was from an Italian cookbook. My oil use was liberal; hence, no measure. I sliced the onion and fennel bulb being too lazy to chop - isn't that the height of laziness?! This roasted snapper makes a great alternative to Christmas Eve carp, and beyond.

olive oil whole (~3 lb/1.5 kg) red snapper cleaned scaled salt + freshly ground black pepper 1 lemon halved ½ small onion sliced finely ½ small fennel bulb sliced finely 2 sprigs rosemary 1 tbsp fennel fronds chopped 1 tsp rosemary leaves crushed 1 small garlic clove minced

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line baking sheet with foil. Oil the foil and fish. Place the fish on the foil. Sprinkle the fish cavity with salt and pepper, and squeez in ½ of the lemon inside. Fill the cavity with the onion, fennel, and rosemary springs. Bake until the fish is just cooked through to the bone, ~ 40 min. Meanwhile, squeeze the remaining lemon half into a small bowl (~2 tbsp) and whisk in the fennel fronds, rosemary leaves, garlic. Gradually whisk in 3 tbsp of oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Take the cooked fish from the oven and using a sharp knife separate the top fillet from the backbone and head. Lift the backbone from the bottom fillet, the backbone and head should come off together. Divide the top and bottom fillets to end up with four potions. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper, and drizzle the lemon sauce over the fish and serve.