Provencal Red Snapper

When Mark and I were in Provence (if that isn't the most annoying thing to hear someone else say, I don't know what is) we ate a lot. A lot. I also bought a bunch of spices to bring back home with me.  One particularly beautiful spice blend that was too tempting to pass up, was simply labeled "Poisson" which is "Seafood" in French.  I know this from watching Prince Eric's chef cook and sing about it in the Little Mermaid.  I decided that I wanted to run this mix all over a nice, whole fish and bake it in the oven for optimal enjoyment.  Now, where does one procure a whole fish?  I'm sure Wholefoods would do it, but I like to buy fresh, whole fish at H-Mart or another similar Asian Grocery store where the seafood selection is always very fresh and where they have a very easy to follow system for having your fish cleaned.  They will do a simple gutting and scaling or make you fillets or anything in between.  They have a number system with pictures to show you exactly what you are getting.  I get my fish done "#2" which is scaled and gutted which works perfectly for baking whole.

Provencal Red Snapper
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. red snapper
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. Herbes de Poisson
Olive oil

1.  Rinse your fish in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. 

2.  With a sharp knife on a sturdy surface (the fish can be slippery so you want to be careful while you are doing this so things don't fly around and you end up cutting yourself), make score marks on both sides of the fish.  This helps it cook more evenly and helps the herb flavors penetrate the skin.

3.  This spice mix included turmeric, curry, cardamom, cumin, fennel seeds, pink peppercorns, thyme, and a star anise.

Look at how beautiful it is!

4.  Drizzle olive oil over the fish and sprinkle with salt and the spice mix.

5.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, until the skin is crispy and the fish is cooked through (the white meat will be opaque).

6.  Serve up and enjoy.

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