Sunny's Kitchen (21 page)

f
or the record, nothing here is scorched, except maybe your tongue if you can’t handle the heat of the Bahamian hot sauce. Just don’t tell that to the Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera, fisherman who sold snapper to me once when I was on vacation. He asked me if I knew how to “scorch it” when I cook it—it took me a second to realize he meant “score it,” as in cutting lines along the fish before frying. My friend and I giggled and told him yes; we both cook for a living and immediately found it funny. Since then, I’ve lovingly “scorched” all my whole fried fish, thinking of my favorite tiny island and the concerned fisherman. Listen to your fishmongers; they know best how to prepare your fish.
SERVES 4

1
Make the hot sauce.
In a medium pot with a lid, combine the habanero peppers, bell pepper, a pinch of salt, the peppercorns, onion, garlic, vinegar, and enough water to cover the contents by half an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until everything is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove all the solids with a slotted spoon and put them in a blender or food processor, reserving the liquid from the pot. Blend until everything is broken down, then add a bit of the reserved water until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Taste and add a sprinkle of sugar if needed to mellow out the flavors. Too-hot hot sauce is no fun. Pour the sauce into a sealable container and refrigerate until cold.

2
“Scorch” (score) the snapper.
Use a sharp knife to make 6 to 8 slits along the length of both sides of each snapper, going down to the bone. Season both sides with salt and black pepper, making sure they get into each slit. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of salt, and a grind or two of black pepper. Toss with a fork to combine. Coat each snapper on all sides with the flour mixture, making sure to again get into the crevices of the scored (ahem, scorched!) sections. Rest both fish in the flour until ready to fry.

3
Fry the snapper.
Fill a cast-iron pan with an inch of oil. Turn the heat to medium and when a bit of flour sprinkled in begins to sizzle, but not immediately brown, add the fish. Do this in batches, using two pans or your big mama cast iron frying pan to do it all at once. Whatever you do, don’t overcrowd the pan because you want to fry the fish, not steam them. Fry on one side until a peek beneath reveals a golden-brown crust and a bend of the fish reveals cooked white flesh between the slits, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your snapper. Gently use tongs to grab the tail, then flip and cook on the other side for 8 to 10 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and allow to rest just a few minutes. Serve family-style on a platter with the Bahamian hot sauce.

 

tip!
Other fish I like to scorch and fry whole are catfish, tilapia, bass, cod, and branzini.

i
’m pretty sure I could eat this once a week and never tire of it, which says plenty because I love variety in my kitchen. Using farm-raised mussels cuts down the once-lengthy cleaning process. Be sure to make this recipe with mussels bought that day; store them in the refrigerator covered with a moist paper towel until ready to prepare. A quick brush and a toss in a loaded wine sauce and this is on the table fast. A golden, cheesy piece of garlic bread is required and equally as simple as the mussels.
SERVES 4

1
Prep the mussels.
Rinse and brush the mussels to clean them, removing any beards. Discard any mussels with cracked shells. Refrigerate the mussels in a bowl covered by a damp cloth until ready to cook.

2
Cook the pepperoni and veggies.
In a large straight-sided pan with a lid, combine the olive oil, butter, and pepperoni. Cook uncovered over medium heat until the pepperoni renders some of its fat and becomes slightly crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping the fat in the pan. Add the bell pepper, olives, onion, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper to the pan. Cook over medium heat until the onion becomes lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and tender, about 5 minutes.

3
Steam the mussels.
Pick through the mussels. If any are opened, give it a good tap on the edge of the bowl. If it slowly closes, keep it; if it doesn’t close, discard it. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the mussels and wine, then immediately cover the pan to trap the steam. Shake the pan to make sure everything tosses together and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Give a peek—if most or all of the mussels are
opened, they are done. If not, cover and cook 1 minute or so more, removing from the heat when done. Add the heavy cream and cooked pepperoni. Pour into serving bowls and sprinkle with the Parmesan, oregano, and basil. Serve with
cheesy garlic bread.

 

tip!
Use any leftover broth from steeping the mussels to boil potatoes. Or, toss in a few chunks of fish the next day for a quick fish soup.

1
Make the garlic butter.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the olive oil, seasoning packet, and garlic. Stir and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 4 minutes.

2
Top and bake the bread.
Brush one side of each piece of bread with the seasoned butter and place on a baking sheet, brushed side up. Repeat for all slices and bake until the edges are golden brown and the center slightly bubbles, about 12 minutes. Turn the oven to broil or the highest temperature possible. Remove the bread and evenly top each slice with Parmesan and mozzarella. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Serve warm.

n
ever had it? Try it, trust me. Had it? Try
this
one, trust me.
SERVES 6 TO 8

1
Prepare the noodles.
Butter a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain and immediately place the noodles in a colander submerged in a large bowl of ice water. Once cooled, drain and pour the pasta into a large bowl with the tuna, peas, and both cheeses. Mix thoroughly.

2
Make the sauce.
In a large straight-sided pan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, olive oil, thyme, onion, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the onion is tender. Then add the mushrooms and cook until tender and darkened, 10 minutes total. Add the Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and sprinkle the flour over the pan. Stir and cook 1 minute more. Raise the heat and add the stock. Cook until it thickens, then stir in the heavy cream. Simmer about 4 minutes more. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Stir into the prepared noodles and pour into the prepared dish.

3
Prepare the topping and bake.
In a small bowl, combine the panko, 3 tablespoons olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir until the crumbs evenly soak up the oil, adding more oil if needed (but don’t saturate). Sprinkle evenly over the top of the dish and bake uncovered until the top is golden brown, about 35 minutes.

t
urn the classic Southern side of beans, corn, and vegetables into a one-pot meal by adding chunks of lump crabmeat. Anytime I find a new way to make fish dishes or one-pot meals I’m happy, so to bring them together is a dream. The ingredients are a bit high-low, like wearing diamonds and cubic zirconia together, but what you save in the freezer section, you can spend on some good crab. Always gently pick through whatever kind you buy to make sure there are no shells left.
SERVES 4

1
Cook the bacon.
In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crispy, then transfer to a paper towel–lined plate, reserving the fat in pan.