I am always looking for great recipes that feature fish because I try to eat healthier these days for weight loss, and to be heart smart. For me, fish is sometimes a culinary challenge. I tend to overcook it. But this recipe is tasty, yet elegant enough to impress dinner guests. Because it is wrapped in cabbage leaves, the fish stays nice and moist. The fennel gives added flavor to the vegetables.
Give this recipe a try. I gave it to my boss to cook and she successfully cooked it for dinner guests in her home. She said I needed to give her a recipe every two weeks for her try and now realizes why I enjoyed cooking.
GULF SNAPPER WRAPPED IN CABBAGE LEAVES
4 big leaves of cabbage (Buy a big enough head of cabbage that has bigger leaves to do the wrap.)
4 small fillets of Gulf snapper, or other white fish
½ cup of finely chopped cabbage
½ cup of finely chopped fennel
½ cup of finely chopped shallots
½ cup of finely chopped carrots
2 tablespoons of finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
½ stick of butter (You can use a little less if you like to make more heart healthy)
2 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.
Beurre Monte:
2 tablespoons of water
1 stick of butter
Grape Tomatoes:
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes
¼ cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool down fast in ice water. Strain the water from the cabbage. Sauté all the chopped vegetables and herbs with olive oil and butter in a pan 5-7 minutes, until they soften a bit. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, prepare the Beurre Monte by bringing the water to a boil. Start whisking in the butter in a little at a time. This becomes an emulsion.
Cut grape tomatoes in half; combine them with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Let them simmer in a saucepan over low heat for 10 minutes.
Start the cabbage roll by placing a tablespoon of vegetables on top of each cabbage leaf. Then salt and pepper the fish, setting it atop the vegetables. Glaze the fish fillet with beurre monte. Wrap it into a roll. You can also tie this with butcher’s twine. Place in a pan and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes at 350F. Serve with grape tomatoes spooned on top and sides. Serves 4.
