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CHRISTMAS MORNING
Red Snapper Provençal
on Stone-Ground Grits
with Parmesan and Herbs
Serves 6
Red snapper is a Gulf favorite. I remember my
parents going deep-sea fishing when I was a child
and returning with massive coolers packed with
red snapper. I absolutely love the ocean. It’s so
intensely primal, and the only feeling that remotely
approaches that sensation that comes close would
be the basic human reaction to fire. I’m pretty
certain that, if I lived at the beach, I’d ditch my red
lipstick pretty darn quick and become someone
who fishes a whole lot more and bathes a little less.
Fish and grits is an old-timey country dish that
may be enjoyed for both breakfast or supper. Here
I’ve gussied it up with fennel and olives. This is a
family favorite.
Grits
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
1
tablespoon pure olive oil
1
sweet onion, grated
2
cups 2% milk
2
cups water
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper
1
cup stone-ground grits
1
tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese (about 2 ounces)
1
tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley
HOW TO PREP
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil
over medium heat. Add the onion and cook
until transparent, about 3 minutes.
Add the milk, water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
Whisk in the grits, decrease the heat to low,
and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the
grits are creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes.
Stir in the butter, cheese and parsley. Taste,
adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper,
and keep warm.
Red Snapper
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
1
tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the
pan
1
small bulb fennel, cored and diced,
fronds reserved for garnish
1
sweet onion, diced
3
large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1
tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus
thyme sprigs for garnish
2
tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped,
or 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added
diced tomatoes
20 Kalamata or other brine-cured black
olives, halved and pitted
1
tablespoon red wine vinegar
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper
6
(4-ounce) red snapper fillets, skinned
HOW TO PREP
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a shallow,
ovenproof casserole with some of the oil for
the fish; set aside.
To make the sauce for the fish, heat the
remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet
over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and
cook until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the
onion and cook until soft and translucent, 2
to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped
thyme and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60
seconds. Add the tomatoes and sauté until
soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the olives and
vinegar. Taste and adjust for seasoning with
salt and pepper.
To cook the fish, place the snapper in the
prepared casserole; season with salt and
pepper. Spoon the sauce over the fillets. Bake
until fish is opaque in the center when pierced
with the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes.
To serve, place a spoonful of the grits in
individual shallow bowls. Top each with a
portion of the fish and ladle over some of the
tomato sauce. Garnish with sprigs of thyme
and fennel fronds.
heavy cream or grated cheese at the end of
cooking.
During the holidays I often cook my grits
overnight in the slow cooker. It’s a great
way to get a head start on the day, especially
if you have a full household. However,
it’s very important to use water only or a
combination of stock and water for the
cooking liquid,
not milk,
in the slow cooker.
The milk could burn during the long, slow
cooking process, so it’s best to add any dairy
at the end of cooking in the morning. The
slow cooker’s steady, moist heat releases
the starch in stone-ground grits with
minimal stirring, creating a naturally rich,
creamy texture. Here’s the technique: Stir
together 1 cup of grits and 4 cups of
water in a slow cooker. Cover and cook
on “low” overnight, about 8 hours, then
stir until smooth, and taste and adjust for
seasoning with salt and pepper. Add any
butter, cheese or cream just before serving.
I’m sharing two recipes for the holidays:
Sweet Potato Grits and Red Snapper
Provençal on Stone-Ground Grits. The
combination of the earthy sweet potatoes
and the creamy corn is incredible — it
makes an excellent side dish for your roast
turkey or prime rib. And the Red Snapper
Provençal on Stone-Ground Grits is a
perfect meal to serve on Christmas Eve.
Bon appétit
, y’all!
About the Author
Virginia Willis is an Editor-at-Large for
Southern
Living
and author of the magazine’s popular column
“Cooking with Virginia.” She is the former TV kitchen
director for
Martha Stewart Living
and author of
several books including
Grits, Okra, Bon Appétit, Y’all
,
and
Lighten Up, Y’all
, which won a 2016 James Beard
Foundation Award of Excellence.
Red Snapper Provençal on Stone-Ground Grits with
Parmesan and Herbs — Photo from
Lighten Up,
Y’all
, courtesy Virginia Willis