Ingredients
Snook
Other Names: Bicudo (Portuguese); brochet (Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago); brochet de mer (Cuba, France); camburiaçu, camorim (Brazil); crossie-blanc (French); loubine (French Guiana); quéquére (Dominican Republic); ravallia; róbalo (Latin America); robalito (Peru); saltwater pike, sergeant fish; snoek (Dutch). Centropomidae.
General Description: Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) are long, sleek, and extremely strong fish revered for recreational fishing. Snook may live in shallow fresh, brackish, and salt water but are temperature sensitive and must live in
warm waters. Snook have excellent flavor because they eat crustaceans and other fish. They are fished commercially and raised in aquaculture, though they are not available commercially in the United States. They are a popular table fish in Latin America.
Locale and Season: Snook are native to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic and the Caribbean, from Florida to Brazil. They are illegal for commercial fishing in Florida but are found in markets in Central America, the
Caribbean, and the north coast of South America.
Characteristics: Snook may weigh up to 50 pounds, but average weight is 5 to 8 pounds. The flesh is dense and firm,
delicate and flaky, and has moderate oil content and full-bodied flavor.
How to Choose: All snook in America are caught by recreational fishers. Smaller fish will have milder flavor.
Storage: Refrigerate whole, gutted snook covered in crushed ice in a perforated pan inside a larger pan to catch
the drips up to 2 days.
Preparation:
1. Cut 3 slashes crosswise in each side of whole snook
before grilling.
2. Grill whole or in fillet form, plank-roast, sauté,
steam, pan-fry, hot-smoke, or broil.
3. Remove the skin before eating, because it will impart
a bitter, unpleasant flavor.
Suggested Recipe: Cajun Snook Stew (serves 4): Fillet and skin a 2-pound snook and cut into bite-size chunks. In a
large skillet, preferably cast iron, brown 1 chopped red onion, 1 diced green pepper, 2 sliced celery ribs, and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic in 4 tablespoons butter for 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 diced tomatoes and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, reduce heat, and simmer until sauce is thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 sliced zucchini and/or yellow squash and simmer until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the snook,
season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes. Serve over rice.
Flavor Affinities: Bay leaf, butter, fennel, lemon, lime, olive oil, onion, orange, oregano, red onion, tomato, vinegar, white wine.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
