The Average Cook

So this recipe originally called for a whole red snapper, but I was in the mood for salmon. Plus, I’ve never cooked a whole fish before and with my limited time and overall utter lack of motivation for cooking lately, I had no desire to work with a whole fish. This was a simple recipe and appeared to have great potential with all those fresh herbs (straight from my garden), but it failed to deliver on flavor. Perhaps it was because I used a large cut of salmon and rolled the herbs tightly into it. Or maybe because I was too lazy to go outside and turn on my grill so I baked it instead….Nonetheless, the herb flavor was practically indistinguishable. The fish was tender and moist but the herbs just stood out.

Overall rating - 1 stars

Herb-Stuffed Red Snapper


Be careful when testing for doneness, as steam will escape from the foil when you open it. A whole fish makes a dramatic entrée, best served family-style so guests can help themselves to this succulent dish. If you have extra fresh herbs on hand, garnish the platter with them.


1 (4-pound) cleaned whole red snapper
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
4 lemon slices
4 large fresh basil leaves
3 parsley sprigs
3 mint sprigs
2 thyme sprigs
4 lemon wedges

1. Prepare grill.

2. Score fish by making 3 diagonal cuts on each side. Lay 1 (18 x 12–inch) sheet of foil flat on a work surface, and coat with cooking spray. Place fish in center of sheet; rub oil in fish cavity. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt in fish cavity; sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt evenly on both sides of fish. Place lemon slices and next 4 ingredients (through thyme) in fish cavity. Wrap fish in foil, twisting ends to seal; place fish on grill rack. Grill 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Discard lemon slices and herbs. Serve fish with lemon wedges.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 4 ounces fish and 1 lemon wedge)CALORIES 241 (19% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.9g,mono 2.2g,poly 1.3g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 80mg; CALCIUM 75mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.7g; SODIUM 687mg; PROTEIN 44.9g; FIBER 0.5g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2008