Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Snapper filets are a great choice for beginner seafood explorers. While snapper is juicy and loaded with flavor, it is also mild and not as fishy tasting as other fish, like cod and tuna for example. Snapper also has a perfect balance of flaky to dense and meaty in its texture. I don’t eat shrimp often, but when I do, it is always properly peeled and cleaned first. By the time I am finished peeling and cleaning, there will only be the main meat left (no head, no legs, no tail, and no poo!). When it comes to sides, or a bowl base, any combination of mixed veggies works for me. With this recipe, there is no set list of veggies. I always just go with what I have.
TIP: Radishes are better (in my opinion) when cooked. As they cook, radishes lose their bitterness and gain more sweetness. The taste profile completely changes.
Par-Boiling the Veggies
There are two main reasons why I par-boil (partially boil) my fresh vegetables before roasting. One reason is to simply save time, and to allow all parts of the meal to finish at the same time in the oven. I have a large family, and I love turning a 1-hour process into a 30-minute process. My next reason is more of a personal preference. With so many recalls on produce and other food items, due to bacteria exposure, I can’t really trust anything I didn’t farm myself. Sink washing doesn’t feel like it gets the entire job done, and I rarely have time to soak in a natural disinfecting solution. After thoroughly washing my veggies, I cut them down to my preferred size, then boil them for 5-7 minutes, depending on the vegetable type. The key is to not boil too many nutrients and juices out. We just want to sanitize and soften our veggies, not render them useless.
Par-Searing the Snapper
I only have one reason for par-searing (partially searing) my snapper in this meal. This allows the outer layer of meat to gain that seared texture and taste. The seared outer layer will also help hold the juices in the filet better, rather than bleeding out into the oven pan. It will also be much easier to brush a thin layer of shrimp sauce on the top of the filet before adding the bacon pieces. The seasoning you have added to the filet will also stay in place as you’re brushing on that sauce, because it has been cooked enough to do so. My one reason for par-searing brings many benefits.
Utilize the Air Fryer!
If you have an air fryer, you can partially fry the filet for 4-5 minutes at 350-375 degrees. Honestly, as a mom of four hungry tweens, I DO THIS. Have no shame; This is what the air fryer was invented for. Life is demanding in this day and age. It is ok to save time where you can. Please be sure to clean and inspect your air fryer properly.
Substituting with Alternative Fish Species
This is a meal that can take substitutes, however, be sure to choose a comparable filet (same cooking time). Other than snapper, I have accomplished this meal with grouper, sea bass, cod, and salmon. Although salmon doesn’t really resemble snapper in the same way that the others do, it is a mild fish with the perfect flavor and texture for this recipe. You also won’t need to adjust your cook time. (The previous statement is also subjective, as there may be reason enough to adjust your timing, including different oven types and filet sizes).
Ingredients
- Fresh cleaned, cut, and/or peeled vegetables of choice.
My vegetable ingredients for this recipe change each time I do it. I use whatever I have available.
Snapper Ingredients
- Snapper filet
Skin on or off (I keep the skin). - 1/2 lemon for fresh juice
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp Garlic butter seasoning
Replace with garlic powder if you don’t have access to garlic butter seasoning. - Crumbled – crispy cooked bacon
This will be the bacon we sear in the shrimp pan before adding the shrimp to the pan
Shrimp & Sauce Ingredients
- Raw shrimp – clean and peeled
For the following ingredient measurements, I use around 12 oz – 1 LB shrimp. - 4-6 slices of bacon
If you want more bacon bits than that, feel free to use more bacon, but you won’t need to have that much grease in the pan for your bacon-seared shrimp. I suggest finishing the remaining bacon in a separate pan, microwave, or oven. - 1 cup heavy cream
Milk will work if you don’t have heavy cream. - 1/2 lemon for fresh juice
- 1 TBSP butter
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic and herb seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
- Kosher salt to taste
I use around 1/2 – 1/3 heaping tsp
Instructions
Let’s start with the snapper ingredients. Using your 1/2 lemon, squeeze the fresh lemon juice onto the snapper filets.
Mix the dry seasonings together, then sprinkle an even layer onto the filets (as light or heavy as you prefer).
In a skillet, over medium heat, fry each filet for 1-2 minutes per side.
HACK: You can also stick them in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes at 375-400 degrees (less if the filets are on the slimmer side).
When the filets are finished, place them in the center of your baking dish. The filets won’t appear to be fully cooked, and they shouldn’t. The cooking process will finish perfectly in the oven.
While I am pre-cooking the filets, I also get a pot of water boiling over medium-high heat.
In the pot of boiling water, boil your cut and washed veggies for 5-8 minutes. This allows them to partially tenderize without boiling out all the essential nutrients. This will also allow them to finish at the same time as everything else in the baking (casserole) pan.
Remove, drain, and pour them into the pan, surrounding the fish filets in the middle.
You don’t need to add extra seasoning to the veggies. The end process will have them plenty seasoned. You should also have PLENTY of seasoning left over from your fish filet seasoning mixture, which brings us to the next optional step.
(Optional) Take the left-over dry seasoning mix that you sprinkled over your fish filets and sprinkle some over your par-boiled veggies.
We need to add the finishing touches before we can bake this meal to completion. Before you place your dish into the oven, you’ll need your bacon topping and optional splash of shrimp sauce.
Start by placing your bacon into the skillet and cooking it to crispy completion. If you are cooking more than 4-5 slices of bacon, I recommend only using 4-5 slices for greasing your shrimp pan Finish the rest of the bacon in a separate skillet, or in the oven.
REMEMBER, we only want to give the shrimp slight notes of bacon. We don’t want to only taste bacon grease!
After you have fried around 4-5 slices of bacon, add the TBSP of butter to the pan. This will help spread the bacon grease and add notes of buttery flavor.
Now, pour your shrimp onto the pan and cook them until they are almost finished.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream (or milk), lemon juice, and dry seasonings. Stir or whisk until everything is evenly blended. Your result may resemble a dip or pudding-like texture if you are using heavy cream.
Pour this creamy mixture into your skillet of shrimp over medium heat, then bring it to a boil while stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat down and allow everything to simmer for 10-15 more minutes.
This is a good time to PREHEAT the oven to 400 degrees F.
While the shrimp is simmering, scoop a few spoons full of the creamy sauce, then lightly drizzle it over the fish filets.
Crumble up your bacon and layer it on top of your seasoned and shrimp sauce drizzled filets.
OPTIONAL – On top of adding the extra filet seasoning to my veggies, I also drizzle some shrimp sauce, ever to slightly, onto my veggies as well.
Place your finished casserole dish into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. As an added measure, I low-broil the dish for 3-4 minutes. This helps to re-crisp the bacon.
That’s it; pull your finished dish out of the oven! Let the filets rest for 5 minutes, remove them, and stir the vegetables, juices, and seasoning all together.
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