Red Snapper with Raisins & Pine Nuts

Cooking a whole red snapper in foil is one of the most forgiving ways to handle fish. The tent traps steam during the first 20 minutes, gently cooking the flesh through without drying it out. Removing the foil for the final 30 minutes lets the skin crisp up while you baste with the pan juices that have been building underneath.

The agrodolce-style sauce happens right in the pan. Sugar dissolved in red wine vinegar and water creates a sweet-tart glaze that concentrates as it reduces during roasting. Raisins plump up in those juices, turning soft and candy-like, while pine nuts toast golden in the oven heat. Together they create a classic Sicilian flavor combination that pairs beautifully with the mild, flaky snapper.

Rosemary goes in the cavity and over the outside, infusing the fish from both directions. The olive oil keeps the skin from sticking to the foil and helps conduct heat evenly across the surface.

Pro Tips

• Make sure the fish is pan-dressed (scaled, gutted, fins removed). Ask your fishmonger to do this if it isn’t already.
• Don’t skip the foil tent for the first 20 minutes. Going uncovered the whole time risks drying out the thinner tail section.
• Baste every 10 minutes once the foil comes off. Each baste builds another layer of that vinegar glaze onto the skin.
• Spoon the raisins, pine nuts, and pan juices over the fish right before serving. They slide off during baking and need to be redistributed.

Variations

• Add capers along with the raisins for extra briny sharpness in the agrodolce sauce.
• Use whole branzino or sea bass if red snapper isn’t available at your market.
• Scatter thin lemon slices over the fish before tenting for a citrus note alongside the vinegar.