Grilled Red Snapper with Cilantro and Onion Stuffing or حمراء مشوية مع حشوة

Grilled red snapper is a deliciously easy dish, cooked over a charcoal fire. The snapper stays moist of you grill with the scales on - and flavor is added - when you fill it with cilantro and onion stuffing, a traditional recipe from my current home, the United Arab Emirates.

I grew up with a father that fished and hunted so I am not unfamiliar with guts and eyeballs on foodstuff. But honestly, the first time I remember seeing a whole fish on a plate was probably when I was 10 or 11 years old, visiting Daddy in Venezuela or Peru and my stepmother not only ordered a whole fish but she popped out the eyeball and ate it with relish saying it was a delicacy.  Needless to say, as a child, I was repulsed. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the rest of the fish though!

Then when we lived in Abu Dhabi back in late Eighties and I was the editor at a small publishing house, my boss was an Omani gentleman who taught me that the sweetest part of the fish was the cheek, which is found behind the eye in a little pocket.  I always go for that little piece first because he was so right. (Thanks, Saleh!) If you’ve never cooked a whole fish, I’d like to encourage you to try it.  There is no way a fish filet can be as tasty as a whole fish cooked on the bones.  If the eyes really offend you, get your fish guy to cut off the head, but leave the rest of the fish intact.

Our theme is grilling this week but I wanted especially to make something from the United Arab Emirates, since this is home right now.  This recipe comes to me from a fellow Texan who married an Emirati and moved to the UAE.  Her blog is filled with delicious local fare, with complete explanations and photos, and is a treasure trove of ideas for anyone interested in Emirati cooking.  MaryAnn is a sweetheart and I am grateful to her for her advice and expertise.  You can find her blog at Emiratican Kitchen. She hasn't updated in a while because she is a beautiful seamstress and that has become her focus. but the recipes are all still there. If you leave her a comment, please tell her Stacy sent you.

In Arabic, red snapper is hamra, grilled is meshwiya and stuffing is hashwa, so this is hashwa meshwiyah m’a hashwa or as MaryAnn put it more simply, grilled hamra with hashwa.  Whatever you call it, it is delicious!  For her recipe, I was supposed to use a large red snapper of one kilo or about 2.2 pounds, but sometimes those are hard to come by.  I substituted two smaller snappers so the cooking time was much shorter.  And since we were just two eating that night, I ended up freezing the second one. It made a beautiful dinner another night.

Grilled Red Snapper with Cilantro and Onion Stuffing

Grilling a whole fish with scales on keeps it from sticking to the hot grill.  Stuffing it with onions, cilantro and spices infuses the whole fish with lovely flavors and keeps it from drying out on the grill.

Ingredients
Hamra (Red Snapper) 2 lbs plus or 1 kg - or larger (Whole – do not scale or trim fins)

For the stuffing:
1 medium-sized onion
1 medium-sized green bell pepper
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 thumb-sized knob fresh ginger
1 bunch cilantro or fresh coriander
1/4 cup or 60ml extra virgin olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin powder

Method
Gut the fish from the belly to leave a space for the stuffing.  (I let the fish guy at my local market do this job for me.)  Make sure to leave the scales on so the fish won’t stick to the grill.

Chop your onion and bell pepper finely.  Peel and mince your garlic and ginger.  Wash your cilantro thoroughly and trim off the end hard woody ends of the stems.  Chop the stems of the cilantro very finely and then chop the leaves roughly.

In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly mix the onion, bell pepper, cilantro, garlic and ginger with all of the spices and the olive oil.

Fill the cavity in the fish with the stuffing.

Using a large needle and some kitchen string (I used poultry string, normally used for trussing a chicken for roasting) sew sides of the fish belly back together.  (I could not find my large needles, so I used an ice pick to poke the holes.  Then I put the stuffing in and tied the knots.)

Tie knots as you go to make sure the sewing is secure.

Meanwhile, light your fire in the barbecue pit.  When the coals are light grey all around the edges, they are ready.

Place the fish on the grill and put the cover on the pit with a little opening to make sure there is enough air getting in so you don’t smother the coals.

Cook for about 10-12 minutes on each side, ideally turning only once so your fish doesn’t fall apart.   If you are fortunate to find a larger fish, MaryAnn says to cook it for 30 minutes on each side.

Put a knife in at the thickest part and look at the bones to make sure the fish is cooked all the way down.  When the fish meat is completely white and opaque, the fish is done.

To serve, peel the charred skin and scales off with a knife and lift the meat off the bones.

Lift the meat off the bones with a knife or spatula. 

Lift the bones off to get to the other side. 

Traditionally, MaryAnn says this is served with white rice and fresh greens.  I didn’t take a photo of it, but we topped the fish with a little of the stuffing and it was delicious.

Enjoy!

 Easy BBQ Recipes

Best Burgers and Sandwiches

• Barbecue Rib Burgers with Low Carb Sauce by My Life Cookbook
• Caribbean Jerk Chicken Burgers by Simple and Savory
• Guava-Ale BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich by Gourmet Everyday
• Turkapple Burgers with Yumback Sauce by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Grill Master Mains

• Grilled Red Snapper with Cilantro and Onion Stuffing by Food Lust People Love
• Honey Glazed Chicken Kabobs by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Homemade Coleslaw by A Mind Full Mom
• Spicy Grilled Leg of Lamb by Sunday Supper Movement

Mop Worthy Sauces

• Blueberry Sriracha Barbecue Sauce by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Homemade “End of Season” Ketchup by What Smells So Good?

Searing Starters and Sides

• Campfire Corn and Tomatoes by Cricket’s Confections
• Grilled Lime Beer Ritas with Smoky Lime Salt by Our Good Life
• Honey Chipotle BBQ Wings by Soulfully Made
• Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce by Asian In America

Sizzling Sweets

• All-American Pie Shooter Trio by The Crumby Cupcake
• Flourless Fudge Brownies by Pies and Plots
• Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone by Caroline’s Cooking
• Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Mini No Bake Coconut Cheescakes by Jonesin’ For Taste

Chorizo and Date Skewers - Brochetas de Chorizo y Datiles

Chorizo and date skewers or brochetas de chorizo y datiles are a fabulous combination of sweet and salty, rich and chewy. Best of all, they are simple and quick to put together.

A couple of months back we were in Atlanta for our nephew’s wedding. We arrived a couple of days early, thinking it would give us time to recover from the trip and also to spend some time with the relatives.

That first night we dropped our bags off at our hotel before heading to dinner at Eclipse de Luna, a tapas restaurant and one of their favorite places. My sister-in-law insisted upon ordering two plates of these little beauties because she wanted a whole skewer to herself. They are that good. The best part is that they are so simple to make at home.

This weekend I am in Orlando attending the fifth annual Food Wine Conference. I’m looking forward to all of the delicious food and the informative sessions but the best part is always the company of my colleagues at the Sunday Supper Movement and my fellow bloggers.

Just like last year, on Sunday evening we will gather for the last time at Tapa Toro, a lovely Spanish tapas restaurant for our live Twitter chat. For those of you who won’t be joining us, we thought it would be a good idea to share some tapas recipes, like these chorizo and date skewers. Scroll down to the bottom for more details.

Chorizo and Date Skewers or Brochetas de Chorizo y Datiles

Ingredients
9 3/4 oz or 275g Spanish chorizo, skin removed -  I like the extra picante.
12 Medjool dates, pitted
6 slices smoked bacon
1 3/4 oz or 50g blue cheese

Also needed:
6 wooden or metal skewers
6 toothpicks

Method
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C.

Cut the chorizo into 18 pieces and line them up chorizo/date/chorizo/date/chorizo.

Poke the pointy end of the skewer through one end of the bacon and through one group of dates and chorizo.

Wrap the bacon around the end and secure it with a toothpick. Lay the chorizo and date skewers in a baking pan.

Bake in your preheated hot oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the bacon is cooked.

Remove from the oven and arrange two per plate on small saucers. Sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to our event manager, Em, and this week's host, Christie of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures for all of their hard work behind the scenes.

Small Starters

• Crispy Prosciutto Cups with Pear & Mascarpone by The Crumby Cupcake
• Cucumber Finger Sandwiches by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
• Fiesta Pinwheels by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Grilled Polenta Bruschetta by Simple and Savory
• Spinach Feta Pinwheels by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Sweet Sriracha Almonds by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Waffled Twice Baked Potato Pancake Bites by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Wild Mushroom and Grape Crostini by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Pint-sized Protein

• Bacon-wrapped Chorizo and Date Skewers – Brochetas de Chorizo y Datiles by Food Lust People Love
• Chicken Caprese Bites by Books n’ Cooks
• Chicken Sausage & Fig Naan Bites by Soulfully Made
• Crab Stuffed Mushrooms by My Savory Spoon
• Easy Chicken Pesto and Sun Dried Tomato Croissants by Jonesin’ For Taste
• Grass Fed Beef Meatballs and Cauliflower Cilantro Smear by Our Good Life
• Greek Chicken Gyro Mini Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce by Hardly A Goddess
• Mini Salmon Cakes with Anise Aioli by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Salmon Poke on Wonton Crisps by Authentically Candace
• Sausage Stuffed Jalapeños by Gourmet Everyday
• Tuscan Chicken Bites by The Freshman Cook

Demi-Desserts

• Healthy Meringue Bites with Raspberry Yogurt by Cricket’s Confections
• Lemon Bars with Poppy Seed Shortbread by Pies and Plots
• Lime Mascarpone Cheesecake Shooters by Caroline’s Cooking

Pin these chorizo date skewers! 

 

Double Pork Stuffed Pork Roast

Double Pork Stuffed Pork Roast is pork belly with crackling, stuffed with two pork tenderloins and sausage stuffing made with ground pork and Italian sausage. It's a feast of a beast, perfect for a huge family meal. Best of all, the leftovers make fabulous sandwiches.

This week our Sunday Supper tastemakers are sharing their favorite meal ideas for Mother's Day. I made this double pork stuffed pork roast for my mom a while back and she actually took these photos. I can promise you that this was one of her favorite meals, especially the leftovers, which she used to make pork roast sandwiches, slathered in mayo. Another of her favorite things.

I'm not going to give specific weight amounts for his double pork stuffed pork roast since the size of your half pork belly and fillets will vary by the size of the pig. Likewise, if you have a favorite stuffing recipe, you can certainly use it instead. I will tell you that the total weight of all the meat for my double pork stuffed pork roast was about 10 pounds or 4.5kg.

Ready to make this double pork stuffed pork roast? Let's go!

Ingredients
1 half pork belly, skin intact
2 pork fillets
About 2 lbs or 1kg pork stuffing
Sea salt flakes (like Maldon)
Fresh ground black pepper

For the stuffing:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb or 450g fresh hot Italian sausage
1 lb or 450g ground pork
Fine sea salt
Black pepper
Cayenne
1 cup or 60g fresh bread crumbs

Method
Sauté the onion, bell pepper and garlic in the olive oil, until they are just softened. Set aside to cool.

Remove the Italian sausage from the casing and mix it together with the ground pork. Add in the cooled vegetables and bread crumbs and mix thoroughly. Add a sprinkle of salt, (keeping in the mind that there is already salt in the Italian sausage) a good couple of grinds of black pepper and a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, depending on how much spice your family likes. Mix well and fry a teaspoon of the mixture till cooked through, to taste. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C.

Start with the pork belly laying it flat on a cutting board and score the skin diagonally both ways so the pieces can crisp in the oven. The crackling is divine!

Turn the belly over and spread it with the stuffing mixture. Lay the two fillets of pork in the middle, fat ends alternating, top to tail. Sprinkle each with some salt, black pepper and cayenne.

Then tie the whole thing in a roast-like shape, using baking twine or silicone bands. 

Rub it liberally with sea salt and a good couple of grinds of black pepper.

Pop it in the preheated oven, lowering the temperature after 30 minutes to 300°F or 150°C. Cook for around three hours or until your thermometer registers 150°F or 65°C. (The safe internal temperature when ground pork is included in a recipe vs. a solid pork roast is 160°F or 72°C. The temperature will continue to rise as you let the roast rest.)

Let it rest, covered with a tent of foil for 10 minutes while you make the gravy from the pan drippings. (You may have to spoon off a lot of the grease first.)

Enjoy!

What are you Mother's Day plans? How about making something special for your mom? Check out this great list of dishes from our Sunday Supper tastemakers. Many thanks to our event manager, Cricket of Cricket's Confections and our event host, Amy from My World Simplified.

Sunday Supper Mother's Day Food Ideas

Chocolate Treats

• Hot Fudge Ice Cream Cake by Pies and Plots
• Toasted Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies by Helpful Homemade
• Triple Chocolate Strawberry Cake Truffles by The Freshman Cook
• White Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• White Chocolate-Filled Snickerdoodles by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes

Entrees

• Double Pork Stuffed Pork Roast by Food Lust People Love
• Italian Stuffed Caprese Chicken by My World Simplified
• Japanese Chicken Curry by What Smells So Good?
• Lightened-Up Shrimp Scampi by My Savory Spoon

Sides and Salads

• Mom’s Easy Clam Dip by Cricket’s Confections
• Salmon and Capers Panzanella Salad by And She Cooks
• Swedish Creamy Potato Casserole (Jansson’s Frestelse) by Sunday Supper Movement

Sweets

• Berry Chantilly Trifle by The Crumby Cupcake
• Blackberry Cobbler with Brown Sugar Pecan Biscuits by Soulfully Made
• Lemon Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries by Our Good Life
• Lemon Cooler by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Mom’s Southwest Georgia Pound Cake by Family Around The Table
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp by Caroline’s Cooking
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote by Wholistic Woman