Pargo Relleno(Stuffed Red Snapper)
Submitted by cooki
Pargo relleno: whole red snapper stuffed with a savory bread, ham, tomato, and sherry mixture, topped with shrimp and lobster, then roasted. A Caribbean-Latin American celebration dish.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsPargo relleno is a classic stuffed red snapper from the Caribbean and Latin American coast, the kind of show-off dish reserved for weddings, holidays, and major Sunday feasts. A whole red snapper gets rubbed inside and out with lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, then rests in the fridge for an hour to season the flesh. The stuffing combines milk-soaked bread, sauteed onion, green pepper, tomato, and diced ham, punched up with sherry and Worcestershire.
The clever move is tucking shrimp and lobster slices on top of the stuffing before sewing the belly cavity shut. They steam in their own juices as the fish roasts, and you end up with three kinds of seafood in one beautifully presented dish. A well-oiled foil sling in the baking pan is what lets you transfer the cooked fish intact to the serving platter; trying to pick up a whole stuffed snapper any other way is a guaranteed disaster.
Chef Tips
- Ask your fishmonger to scale, gut, and butterfly the snapper. It saves 20 minutes of unpleasant prep.
- Squeeze the milk-soaked bread almost dry before stirring into the stuffing, or the filling goes soggy.
- Sew the belly with kitchen twine and a trussing needle, or use several bamboo skewers. Toothpicks work for small fish only.
- Broil the last 3 to 4 minutes for crispier skin, but watch it carefully; fish goes from golden to burnt fast.
Variations
- Substitute grouper, striped bass, or trout if red snapper is unavailable.
- Swap the ham for chopped chorizo for a smokier, spicier stuffing.
- Add a handful of capers or chopped green olives to the stuffing for a briny Mediterranean-Caribbean fusion.
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse the fish, pat it dry with paper towels, and place it on a nonreactive platter.
Squeeze the lime juice over the skin, and rub the fish inside and out with garlic, salt, and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
To prepare the stuffing, soak the bread in the milk in a small bowl.
In a medium-size skillet over low heat, heat the oil and butter until fragrant, then cook the onion, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, and ham, stirring, until the onion is tender but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the sherry, Worcestershire, and parsley, mix thoroughly, remove from the heat, and allow to cool slightly.
Squeeze the bread to remove the excess milk, stir into the mixture, and add salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Drain the fish and reserve the marinade (there will be a small amount).
Stuff the fish with the stuffing mixture, arrange the shrimp and lobster slices on top of the stuffing, and sew up the pocket with needle and thread or secure with toothpicks or skewers.
Transfer the fish to a shallow baking pan lined with well-oiled aluminum foil, allowing for enough overlap to pick up the fish.
If the tail does not fit in the pan, wrap it in foil.
Pour the reserved marinade over the fish, drizzle with a bit of oil, place in the oven, and bake, uncovered, until the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.
For an even crisper skin, place in a preheated broiler for the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking time.
Transfer the fish carefully to a serving platter, remove the thread, toothpicks, or skewers, and serve hot.
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