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Three white plates with blackened red snapper, black rice, yogurt sauce, and sauteed spinach.
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4.50 / 4 votes

Blackened Red Snapper

Here we skip the stovetop smoke by cooking snapper under the broiler; with the fish under better control, we prepare some fiber-rich sautéed spinach and nutty black rice.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 404

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups black rice* or brown rice
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt, plus more for cooking rice
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 1 teaspoon juice, preferably organic
  • 3 tablespoons garlic oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 18 ounces (18 cups) fresh baby spinach
  • 4 (4 to 6 ounce) skin-on red snapper fillets, or other firm white fish, 3/4 to 1 inch (18 to 24 mm) thick
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. If using brown rice, it may require a few extra minutes of cooking.
  • Drain rice, dump into a bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt and lemon zest and juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave 1 tablespoon oil, paprika, coriander, fennel, cayenne, cloves, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Let cool slightly.
  • In a large covered microwave-safe bowl, microwave spinach and 1/4 cup water until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, stopping the microwave to stir once, 3 to 4 minutes. (Alternatively, you can use do this in two batches in a smaller bowl, using 2 tablespoons of water per batch and reducing the cook time to 2 minutes.)
  • Remove bowl from microwave and keep covered for 1 minute. Carefully remove the cover and dump the spinach into a colander. Using the back of a rubber spatula, gently press spinach against the colander to release excess liquid.
  • Adjust oven rack 4 inches (10 cm) from broiler element and heat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Pat the red snapper fillets dry with paper towels and brush flesh side evenly with the spice mixture. Arrange snapper skin side down on the prepared sheet. Broil until snapper flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 130°F (54°C), about 4 minutes. Arrange the snapper on individual plates or on a large serving platter.
  • Meanwhile, in a 12‑inch (30-cm) skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add spinach and toss to coat. Season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and continue stirring with tongs until spinach is glossy green, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve spinach with snapper, rice, and yogurt sauce.

Notes

*What is black rice?

You've likely tried brown rice. It's just rice that hasn't had the outer, fibrous bran polished off. Black rice, on the other hand, has a deep black color through and through. It turns a deep purple color when cooked, that dark purple color is primarily due to its anthocyanin content—and that's good for you. It's also called "forbidden rice" because it was once regarded as so special that only aristocracy were allowed to eat it. It's high in fiber, protein, and antioxidants, as well as having a chewier texture and more flavor than other rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 558mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g