Whole Fish With Soy and Citrus
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 1lemon
- 1lime plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1orange
- 1red snapper (about 2½ pounds), gutted and scaled (optional to keep the head on)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2tablespoons canola oil
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- Flaky sea salt
- ½bunch cilantro or parsley, plus more if you like, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
482 calories; 23 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 60 grams protein; 906 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Thinly slice half the lemon, half the lime and half the orange.
- Step 2
Using a sharp paring knife, make 2 to 3½-inch-deep diagonal incisions on each side of the fish, not quite down to the bone, but enough to visibly score the flesh. Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Heat oil in the largest, oven-safe skillet you own (at least 12 inches) on the stove over medium-high heat. Pick up the fish by the tail and gently lower the fish into the skillet away from you to avoid hot oil splatters.
- Step 4
As soon as the fish is in the skillet, use tongs or a fish spatula to lightly press the fish, encouraging the skin to make even contact with the skillet. Cook, continuing to press lightly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully place a few slices of citrus inside the cavity of the fish, letting a few escape and sizzle in the skillet alongside the fish.
- Step 5
Add butter and soy sauce to the skillet, letting the butter sizzle and foam up. Tilt the skillet slightly toward you to allow the buttery soy sauce mixture to pool on one side. Using a large spoon, baste the fish a few times, letting the sauce sizzle and foam up around the fish and into the parts where you’ve made the incisions.
- Step 6
Transfer the whole skillet to the oven and continue to cook until the fish is firm to the touch and you can see that the flesh has gone from translucent to white and opaque, 15 to 18 minutes. (You may need a few minutes more if you have an especially meaty snapper.)
- Step 7
Place fish on a large serving platter (leaving the sauce behind), along with remaining halved lemon, lime and orange for squeezing over the top. Add lime juice to the skillet and swirl to combine. Pour sauce over fish and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, serving cilantro alongside for nibbling in between bites of fish, like a very spriggy salad.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Especially Meaty Snapper
i do have an especially meaty snapper. In fact that is my name.
Jodi Fortner
At what stage do you turn the fish to brown the other side?
Joan P
In France it is practically heresy and offensive to decapitate a fish before cooking! And there is a culinary reason to keep the head on: The fish stays more moist, flavor is retained and the cooked flesh in the head can be eaten and is delicious. Keep the head on.
Stepfanie
You don't flip it because you are basting the top with oil and then placing it in the oven at a high heat. It will crisp, and you don't run the risk of tearing the fish by flipping it or ruining your super crispy skin on the side that was touching the pan.
Catalina
The red snapper in the photo is unconscionable. This is an immature fish that has not reached the size to reproduce. Plate sized red snapper, while the most popular, are contributing to a small population of snapper. From Ocean Conservancy: Bigger, older red snappers produce many more eggs than young ones. One 24" female red snapper (about 8 years old) produces as many fish as 212 17-inch females (about 5 years old) Most red snapper caught in the Gulf today are only between 4 & 6 years old.
Catalina
To Pete, If you lived where Red Snapper are fished from the waters, if you spoke with the fisherman who bring in these fish, you would know that because plate sized red snapper are so popular, there are less and less large red snapper. They just aren't being allowed to reach maturity to reproduce, hence fewer fish. The fishermen on the west coast of Mexico know this. The fish market vendors know this. We have seen red snapper populations plummet. Let the fish reach maturity to reproduce.
Francois v S
Ok, as a certified carnivore, I tried this tonight and what a pleasant surprise! Typically I only eat fish in a restaurant, but there goes that rule. It was brilliant. I finished a 1.5lb snapper all on my own - ok, so my dogs helped a bit. Followed the recipe exactly - head and tail and no turning in the pan (why is this so difficult to understand?). May I suggest as a side the fennel and lime salad as outlined in Melissa Clark's salmon recipe. Acidic with a nice crunch.
Jaime
The fish head is really the tastiest part! The cheeks have a lot of meat
Chef George
You don't; the top side is browned by the hot butter basted over it and the 425 oven.
Dianne
Did you turn over after first side and then add sauce?
Joan
Are you supposed to turn the fish over in the pan at some point? Did I miss that?
Sueiseman
Great Question! In my kitchen, even with a high powered exhaust fan, scented candles, bowls of white vinegar and open windows, it still stinks of fish. Anyone out there have any other suggestions?
Rose
We live in Portugal and my fishmonger would never speak to me again if I bought a fish and didn't want the head. But I am not sure how a 2 1/2 pound(a bit more than a kilo) would serve four people? My husband and I could easily finish one that size.
Richard
I think it looks more appetizing with the head intact. I, for one, don't think an intact head imparts a personality, but I do find the fish cheeks quite tasty.
Fast Marty
Fer cryin out loud, keep the head on! Then, pop the little blobs of meat from the cheeks and gobble them down. They are the fish equivalent of the two little "oysters" of meat on the underside of the T-Day turkey, sweet and succulent. If you don't believe me, ask Melissa Clark! She'll tell ya.
MK in Paris
Simple and excellent. Use only the freshest fish. No notes on the recipe, except to watch the cooking time based on the thickness. You can always cook it more...very difficult to cook it less! ;-)
Jeff
I like this method of cooking pan sear then roast. But barely tasted any of the citrus...
NTP
Prepared as directed. The fish was flavourful, but the sauce actually got scorched by the time the fish got cooked at 425 F which took about 22 minutes.
Lisa
Just okay. I had high hopes because I love fish and all these flavors. I’m an experienced cook, love fish. But didn’t hit our buttons.
meinmunich
Wow. So good. I used two smaller snapper instead of one large one and had to use a roasting pan to fit them. Added a little carrots and broccoli on the side but careful not to over-crowd the pan. Added extra soy sauce and it was a magic.
Samira
This was off-the-hook tasty and simple to make. The cooked citrus tasted delicious. Easy show stopper Centre piece meal.
Isabel
Easy, but the flavor was 1-dimensional. We’ll look for a new recipe for whole fish next year.
Gaby
Easy and tasty. Made it with sea bass and it turned out great. Also substituted oranges with clementines.
Nancy
I used Branzino and used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. I also stuffed the fish with cilantro along with the orange lime and lemon slices. Delicious. Would definitely make again. I did not flip the fish and it was cooked perfectly after 15 minutes in the oven.
Al
Made with a branzino and tamari in place of soy — it was very good though the butter started to burn a bit in the oven. I did flip the fish after getting a solid sear on one side — had no problem with sticking. Super simple and would make again.
E Brunner
Love this, sorry to hear we used a baby snapper and will try Branzino next time for conservation. How to keep your house from smelling like last nights dinner - boil a pan of vinegar after you cook. It freshens your stove fan too
gimlet rose
This was terrific. I was not a whole fish novice, but the addition of soy sauce and orange juice (I didn't have oranges, so I used a mandarin) was just delicious. I used 2 very large snapper, and I may have slightly overcooked them and it didn't matter in the least. I served it with crusty bread and an Israeli salad. Perfect.
serena
surprisingly simple and delicious. I used a cast iron pan, which was great for crisping up skin on the bottom. I also tucked some thinly sliced fingerling potatoes around the fish when I put it in the oven.
Natasha
My oven probably needs to be calibrated but I baked the snapper for 20 minutes. Not sure what happened but the butter started burning just a tad bit with soy sauce.
Doublel
Made this tonight with a whole porgy and used Meyer lemon instead of lemon and orange. Otherwise made exactly as written. Sooo good!!
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