BRAISED RED SNAPPER WITH GRANDMA-STYLE ZUCCHINI, PEPPERS, AND BLACK OLIVES

Braised Red Snapper with Grandma-Style Zucchini, Peppers, and Black Olives image

Yield serves 2

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 red bell peppers
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
15 baby new potatoes, halved
3 zucchini, cut in 1/2-inch-thick circles
1/2 cup whole kalamata olives
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
6 fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 lemon, sliced paper-thin
2 cups Chicken Stock (page 156)
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Juice of 1 lemon
2 center-cut red snapper fillets, about 8 ounces each, skin on, halved on the diagonal

Steps:

Preheat the broiler. Pull out the cores of the red peppers; then halve them lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds. Toss the peppers with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them on a cookie sheet, skin side up, and broil for 10 minutes, until really charred and blistered. Put the peppers into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam for about 10 minutes to loosen the skins. Peel the peppers and cut them into big strips.
Heat a 2-count of oil in a wide pot. Add the roasted peppers, potatoes, zucchini, olives, garlic, thyme, tarragon, and lemon slices. Sauté everything together for a few minutes over medium heat to coat in the oil and soften; season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock, wine, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and let it slowly simmer down for 30 minutes while you prepare the fish.
Rub a little olive oil and salt and pepper on the fish fillets. Add a 2-count drizzle of olive oil to a skillet and place over medium heat. When the pan is nice and hot, sear the fish, skin side down. Gently press on the fish with a spatula to crisp up the skin. Carefully transfer the fish to the pot of vegetables, skin side up. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it; don't let the liquid boil or cook the fish too long or it will fall apart. Serve the fish and vegetables in wide, shallow bowls with a ladle of broth and a drizzle of olive oil. Home-style goodness!