PARGO AL FONDO
A recipe by Frank Camorra
INGREDIENTS
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Four 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) whole snapper, cleaned and scaled
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150 ml (5 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
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1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) brown onions, finely sliced
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2 red capsicums (peppers), seeded, membrane removed and finely sliced
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2 green capsicums (peppers), seeded, membrane removed and finely sliced
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3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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7 bay leaves
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Fine sea salt
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100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) ajo y perejil
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Olive oil, to drizzle
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4 lemons, sliced
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200 ml (7 fl oz) fish stock
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4 waxy potatoes (such as nicola), sliced into 5 mm (¼ inch) thick rounds
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3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
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100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) white wine
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Sea salt flakes, to sprinkle
METHOD
Remove the fins, and the spines along the back of the fish with a pair of kitchen scissors and discard. Rinse the fish under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel.
To make the fondo,heat 80 ml (2 ½ fl oz/⅓ cup) of the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over low-medium heat. Cook the onion, capsicum, garlic, three of the bay leaves and a pinch of salt for 15-20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F/Gas 4).
Put the fish in a large bowl with several pinches of sea salt and the ajo y perejiland rub all over the fish. Season the cavity of each fish with a little sea salt, a few slices of lemon and a bay leaf.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the base of a large baking tray. Lay about a quarter of the fondoin the tray. Pour the fish stock over the fondo,lay the potato on top then season. Lay the remaining fondoover the potato, sprinkle with the tomato and almost all the remaining lemon slices – reserve some to dress the fish – and season once more. Place the fish on top of the lemon slices and dress the fish with the reserved lemon slices. Drizzle the white wine and the remaining olive oil over the fish. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish flakes when tested gently with a fork.
Remove the fish, cover with foil and place near the oven or stovetop to keep warm. Cover the fondowith foil and return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until the potato is soft. Make a bed of fondoon four warm plates and place a snapper on top of each. Sprinkle with small pinch of sea salt flakes and serve.
