Tested and Perfected by Food and Wine
Food & Wine Recipe

Snapper in Chile-Lime Sauce (Pescado en Chile-Limón)

Contributed by
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • FAST

Pan-frying is a fabulous way to cook fish. This preparation is the signature dish for the area around Lake Catemaco, which boasts some of the best freshwater and saltwater fish and shellfish in the world. In this version, the fried fish simmers briefly i...

  1. 1/2 cup pure olive oil
  2. One 2-pound red snapper, cleaned
  3. Kosher salt
  4. 2 cups Chile-Lime Sauce
  5. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Season the fish inside and out with 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the fish to the skillet and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
  2. Tilt the pan slightly and spoon off as much of the oil as possible. Add the sauce and cook, spooning the sauce over the fish, until it is hot and the fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, transfer the fish to a large platter. Add the butter to the skillet and swirl until melted. Season with salt, pour over the fish and serve.

Suggested Pairing

The refreshingly tart green sauce suggests a not-quite-dry white. Try a barely sweet Northwest Riesling