Baked Snapper and Asparagus

When I packaged the tuna that I used for the Grilled Tuna Mediterranean, I packaged it with a piece of snapper for Bev and Madison, but with Bev gone we still needed to eat it - Madison’s favorite fish is made with a lemon, butter, caper sauce.  My asparagus is coming in and when Debbie from "A Feast For The Eyes" posted her recipe for roasted asparagus with lemon, a one pan meal idea was born - with Bev gone and me doing all of the dishes, this becomes a priority.

This meal was just too easy with only a few items. 

Ingredients:

1 snapper filet

Butter at room temperature

Big handful of trimmed asparagus spears

6 lemon slices

Capers, drained

Olive oil                  

Salt & pepper

Procedure:

• Preheat toaster (or big) oven and spray a pan or dish with cooking spray.
• Season the fish with S&P, spread the top with butter, and lay skin side done in the dish.  Add capers to taste, and top with three lemon slices.
• Toss the asparagus with oil, season with S&P, add to dish and top with lemon slices.

• Bake until thickest part of fish reaches 135* (about 20 min).

• Carefully remove fish to a cutting board, cut into two pieces and plate.
• Toss the asparagus in the pan juices and plate.

Madison and I both thought both the fish and asparagus were very good and while she usually eats very light, said she could eat more, if there had been any.  The flavors of the fish and asparagus both came through nicely and this recipe will definitely be used here again, perhaps with a little chicken stock included at the beginning to create more sauce.

NOTE: After overcooking the tuna the other night, I pulled the fish at 125* (15 min. cook time) and it would have been under cooked in the center for most eaters (which is why I put 135* and 20 minutes in the recipe).  I gave Madison the thin end and it was just right for me and obviously her as well. 

Photos best if enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

4/12/13 meal date