Large Plates
Grilled Red Snapper with Herbs
Along the sunlit shores of Italy, from the fishing villages of Liguria to the ristoranti di mare of Sicily, summer arrives on a platter of freshly grilled fish. This Grilled Red Snapper is recreated from a meal eaten cliffside in Positano, a place that even today has a 1950s romantic nostalgia associated with its dramatic vertical setting tucked among pastel-colored houses that cascades down steep cliffs to the Mediterranean Sea. Approachable only from a winding staircase adds makes this lemon scented fish so much a memory of my visit to the Amalfi Coast. Marinated in a fragrant blend of parsley, oregano, thyme, and garlic, then stuffed with slices of onion and grilled alongside charred lemon rounds that perfume the flesh with the scent of citrus and smoke. Once lifted from the fire, it is crowned with peppery arugula leaves that wilt gently against the warm fish. Presented family style upon a red and white checked tablescape, accompanied by bowls of olive antipasti and a magnificent wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano, it evokes the enduring pleasures of this Italian seaside village, where the day's catch is plucked from the sea at dawn and carried straight to the table, inviting long lunches, intimacy, and the simple luxury of eating well.
