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Poached Red Snapper with Papaya and Mango Sauce Vierge
© John Kernick

Poached Red Snapper with Papaya and Mango Sauce Vierge

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 25 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • •FAST
  • •HEALTHY

"Brazilians eat rich and heavy," Eric Ripert says. "I wanted something light and healthy." His idea was to poach a local fish and top it with a tropical version of what he calls sauce vierge, replacing the pickles, capers and tomatoes he would typically use with papaya, mango and ginger.

  1. 1/2 cup diced papaya
  2. 1/2 cup diced mango
  3. 2 tablespoons diced red onion
  4. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped tarragon
  5. 1 tablespoon very finely chopped shallot
  6. 2 teaspoons very finely chopped fresh ginger
  7. 1 small garlic clove, very finely chopped
  8. Four 7- to 8-ounce skinless red snapper fillets
  9. Sea salt
  10. Cayenne pepper
  11. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  12. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  13. Freshly ground black pepper
  1. In a medium bowl, mix the papaya with the mango, red onion, tarragon, shallot, ginger and garlic.
  2. Fill a large, high-sided skillet with 1/2 inch of water and bring to a simmer. Season both sides of the snapper fillets with salt and cayenne pepper. Add the fillets to the skillet, cover and simmer gently until just cooked through, about 7 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates with a slotted spatula.
  3. Add the olive oil and lime juice to the papaya-mango mixture and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon the sauce over the snapper and serve.

Suggested Pairing

Argentina's flagship white grape, Torrontés, has a flowery scent and light, bright flavors that make it an ideal match for this poached red snapper with tropical fruit. This intriguing Muscat-like grape may be related to the Torrontés grape indigenous to northern Spain.