A native of Sicily, chef Vincenzo Betulia serves authentic Italian fare at his Osteria Tulia in Naples, Florida. For his Feast of the Seven Fishes, he shares one of his tried-and-true preparations: Make a parchment-paper packet, fill it with herbs, vegetables, and a prized Southern catch, and let it quickly steam in a hot oven. “The fish will take on the wonderful southern Italian flavors of capers, olives, and thyme,” Betulia says, “and show a gentle glimpse of acidity from white wine and lemon.”
Gulf Snapper “in Cartoccio”
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 tomato
8 oz. filet of Gulf red snapper, skin off
10 Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted
1 tbsp. capers, drained
1 scallion, sliced
1 lemon
3 oz. extra virgin olive oil
2 oz. white wine
3 ice cubes
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut a large piece of parchment paper into a heart shape—unroll about 14 inches of paper, fold in half, and cut half of a heart shape. Set aside.
Cut the zucchini, yellow squash, and tomato into ½ -inch slices.
Open the paper on a cutting board and shingle the squash, zucchini, and tomato near the top right-hand curve of the heart, leaving at least a 1-inch border from the edge of the paper. Lightly season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Place the fish on top of the vegetables and season again. Place the olives, capers, scallion, and 2-3 thin slices of lemon on the fish. Add the olive oil, white wine, and ice cubes. Top the fish with thyme sprig and begin to seal the paper heart by folding in half and making small folds all the way around the edges, crimping the paper to create a sealed packet. Make sure there are no gaps. Place packet on a sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Remove packet from the sheet pan with a large spatula and carefully transfer onto a plate. Tear the paper at the top, making sure your hands stay clear of the escaping steam. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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