A compadre down South in Port Isabel, Texas fired me a link yesterday announcing the upcoming opening of the fall Texas Red Snapper season come the first of October; he was uncharacteristically very nearly giddy in sharing the news.
We ended up chatting back and forth about how much he missed steelheading in the Northwest after spending time in Seattle and how much I missed chasing redfish from a kayak on the Laguna Madre.
Many an adventure has started with such a discussion, a handful of cold adult beverages and a willingness to trade room, board and some informal guiding on one another’s home waters; negotiations are underway.
Red snapper aren’t the most common fly angler targets out there, but we know it’s been done – coastal guru Austin Orr wrote about it here last month.
Even thinking about pecan and almond crusted snapper and redfish transport me to the Gulf Coast and its incredibly rich fishing and gastronomic treasures. As if to rub in his good fortune with a final red snapper focused taunt, my buddy sent his recipe (unashamedly promised to be the best ever) for Sweet Pecan Red Snapper for us to drool over.
This one looks damned good.
6 6-ounce red snapper fillets
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced fresh thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped pecans (fairly fine)
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. olive oil
Turn on the heat. Preheat the oven to 400 and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Rub it in. Lay the fillets out on a work surface, pat dry and then paint with the lemon juice. Rub with the thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Build the crust. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the fillets and gently press the pecans into place; sprinkle with the brown sugar and press again.
Sauté time. Sauté each fillet pecan-side down for 45-50 seconds, then place pecan-side up on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Finish in the oven. Move the fillets right into the oven for 6 to 8 minutes (until the fish are opaque).
Serve. Serve hot right out of the oven with a side of dirty rice and a big scoop of a fresh fruit (mango I’m thinking) salsa.
Enjoy.
