Hello friends! I’m so excited to share this creation with you!
This dish is a spinoff from my Chinese Five Spice Pork Chops. However, I recently made it with red snapper, and it tastes just as delicious!
This recipe is long and has a lot of parts. Please read it a few days before executing it, so you know what to expect.
TIME: 30 Minutes
YIELDS: 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons of olive oil divided
1 pound of red snapper fillets, skin on
1 tablespoon plus an additional teaspoon of Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon plus an extra 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 tablespoon of powdered ginger
1 tablespoon of Chinese Five Spice
1 medium-sized yellow onion, divided
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons of coconut aminos or Bragg's aminos (if you don't have either, you can use Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce)
4 tablespoons of white vinegar, divided
1 small head of green cabbage or half a head of cabbage, sliced into medium strips
1 (15 ounces) can of coconut milk
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon of Himalayan Salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of Chinese 5 spice, and 1 tablespoon of ginger powder into a large bowl. Stir it together with a fork. Dip each snapper fillet into the bowl and rub the spice mix all over each piece. Set snapper aside on a plate.
4. Chop the cabbage as listed above. Slice the onion in half. Chop half of the onion in medium dice. Slice the other half of the onion into strips. Mince all 4 garlic cloves. Set aside.
5. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and allow the pan to heat up for at least 30 seconds. Add 1.5-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Allow the oil to spread over the surface of the pan. Once the oil starts to “dance” and become shimmery, add the fillets, skin side down. Make sure there is space between each filet so they can sear. We don't want to overcrowd the pan; otherwise, the snapper will become rubbery, not caramelized. After 2.5-3 minutes, flip the fish over and caramelize for another 2.5-3 minutes. We want to sear the snapper just long enough for them to brown on both sides. Add the garlic cloves, half of the medium diced onion, 4 tablespoons of coconut aminos, and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Place all of the contents onto a non-stick sheet pan (or add oil or parchment paper). Place in the oven and cook for another 15 minutes.
6. Place another pan over the same burner we used to sear the snapper (the burner is still hot and ready to be used). Wait for about 30 seconds to get the pan hot, add the remaining olive oil (1.5 tablespoons). Turn the heat down to medium-high. Add the cabbage. Using tongs, stir and saute. When the cabbage starts to wilt (after 4-5 minutes), add the onion, 3 tablespoons of the coconut milk, remaining vinegar, and the remaining sliced onion. Sprinkle the remaining salt & pepper in a bullseye formation, so every bite has flavor. Saute and cook until cabbage and onions become tender. This process should take at least another 4 minutes. Set aside.
7. Pull the snapper out of the oven. Place the pan on the same burner. Pull the snapper off the sheet pan and set them aside on a plate. Place the remaining ingredients in a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat. Pour the remaining coconut milk into the pan and stir it with the onions, garlic, and brown caramelized bits from the snapper. The sauce will thicken and form a glaze. Turn the heat off. Add salt and pepper as needed.
8. Serve the snapper alongside the cabbage. Drizzle the filets with the onion-coconut glaze! Enjoy!
Optional Add-Ins:
Sauteed Mushrooms
Chopped cilantro
Chopped jalapenos
Serve with a bed of rice