Seared Red Snapper with Sicilian Cauliflower & Parsley Salad

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Coat a large saucepan with olive oil, add the onions, and bring to medium heat. Add a generous pinch of salt and the red pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup water; season with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil (BTB), reduce to a simmer (RTS), and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste it and make sure it’s delicious.

   Step 2

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt; it should taste like the ocean. Add the cauliflower, let the water come back to a rolling boil, and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until it’s really soft and almost falling apart.

   Step 3

   Strain the cauliflower and add it to the tomato mixture. Cook everything for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the cauliflower has completely broken up and the sauce clings to it. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Stir in the lemon zest, olives, and caperberries; remove from the heat and reserve. (This can all totally be done ahead of time, and while it’s really great when made to order, this dish actually gets better when made ahead.)

2. FOR THE FISH AND SALAD

   Step 4

   Take the fish out of the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before you’re ready to cook. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt.

   Step 5

   Coat a large sauté pan generously with olive oil and bring it to high heat, almost smoking. Coat the UNDERNEATH of another smaller sauté pan with olive oil. Place the fish fillets skin side down in the larger sauté pan and gently place the other sauté pan directly on top of the fish. The purpose of this is to gently press the skin of the fish onto the bottom of the larger pan to create a lovely, even, crispy skin. (The first thing fish skin wants to do is stick to the pan, and the first thing cooks want to do is move it. Resist the urge; it will unstick itself when it’s ready. This is where patience comes in—if you try to move it before it’s ready, the fish skin will win every time.)

   Step 6

   After a couple minutes, remove the top sauté pan to allow the steam to escape and the skin to get really crispy. As the fish cooks it turns from translucent to opaque—the idea is to cook the fish two-thirds of the way on the skin side and then flip it over for the last third of the cooking time. The rule for fish is 7 to 8 minutes per inch of thickness, a little less if you like your fish on the rare side.

   Step 7

   Reheat the cauliflower mixture if necessary. In a medium bowl, toss the parsley with the lemon juice, some salt, and a drizzle of finishing oil. Serve the fish nestled in a mound of the cauliflower and garnish with the parsley salad.

3. IS YOUR FISH FRESH? Perform the Necessary Freshness Checks

   Step 8

   Some of these rules apply only to whole fish, but if you’re buying fillets, the smell and the impression tests still work. Whether it’s whole or a fillet, you want a piece of fish that looks healthy and fresh!

   Step 9

   Smell it. If it smells like what it is, you don’t want it. Fish should smell like the ocean or nothing at all.

   Step 10

   Make an impression. Gently press with your finger somewhere on the body of the fish; if it springs back, it’s perfect. If you leave an impression, leave that fish alone.

   Step 11

   The eyes should be clear and bulging. If the eyes are sunken and cloudy, leave it at the store.

   Step 12

   The gills should be red and moist. If they’re beige and slimy—ick, yuck, gross.

   Step 13

   The fins and tail should be moist and pliable. If they’re dry and brittle, walk away.