Run Down Fried Snapper

Run Down Fried Snapper? Yes! This is a dish you’re going to want to make. Trust me. The idea came to me one evening because I was in the mood for fried fish, but I didn’t want anything plain. I wanted something elevated that didn’t require too much prep, too much time, or too much effort. Snapper is one of my favorite fish to eat, so selecting what fish to fry was a no brainer. This was so good, we ate this down to the bones!

What is Run Down?

In Jamaican cuisine, “run down” refers to a coconut based sauce that is elevated with fresh herbs, spices, and seasonings. It involves adding ingredients like thyme, onion, garlic, allspice, onions, and sweet peppers to coconut milk, and then gently simmering it until it “runs down” and turns into a thick, custard-like sauce. Salt mackerel run down is a popular Jamaican dish that incorporates this sauce into the dish. Run down sauce is mainly used with seafood such as mackerel, fish, and crab.

Can I Use Another Fish Besides Snapper?

You can definitely use another fish besides snapper to make this dish. Other species of fish I recommend are:

-Porgy

-Branzino

-Grouper

-Doctor Fish

-Red or Yellowtail Snapper

-Tile Fish

-Grunt

-Goat

What is The Best Way to Fry Fish?

The best way to fry fish is to ensure your fish has been patted dry, the oil you’re using has a high smoke point (canola oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil). You should ideally be using a non-stick, non-toxic frying pan, and the oil should be heated to at least 325 degrees before adding the fish. You can also add a light coating of all purpose flour to the surface of the fish to avoid splatter.

How do I make Run Down Snapper?

This recipe has 2 parts. The first part is frying the fish. The second part is making the run down sauce. The fish is fried with both fresh seasonings and powdered seasoning. It’s lightly coated on both sides with all purpose flour and fried to perfection. The second part of this recipe involves prepping fresh herbs and spices, then cooking your run down sauce.

Ingredients

Please note: The following measurements are for 3 medium-large sized whole fish. You will combine the dried seasonings to make your own custom fish seasoning, and then season each fish with that custom blend. * I suggest a light coating of All Purpose Flour on each fish after seasoning has been added. You will need 1 cup of corn oil to fry the fish.*

Custom Fish Seasoning Blend:

• 1 tbsp of All Purpose Seasoning
• 1 tbsp of Jamaican Choice Seafood Seasoning
• 1 tbsp of Blue Mountain Country Fish Seasoning Seasonings can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thatnursecancook/list/338HO4SFBANVE?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_aipsflist_3Q9ZK2VRQM7YAJCC49V0_1&language=en_US

Run Down Sauce Recipe:

• 1 tbsp of Salted Butter
• 1/2 Carrot, Julienned
• 1/4 Red Pepper, sliced
• 1/4 Green Pepper, sliced
• 11 Whole Allspice berries
• 1/2 Small onion, thinly sliced
• 6 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper (or Habanero)
• 300 mL of Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp of custom fish seasoning blend (see above)
• Few Sprigs of Thyme

Directions

Prep each fish by rinsing with lime and water then pat them dry. Score each fish on both sides by making 2-3 cuts along the surface. Add approximately 1 tsp of your custom fish seasoning blend to both sides of the fish as well as the inside. If you’re using fish that is filleted, then skip that step.

Next, add 1 small spoonful of green seasoning and massage all the seasoning into the fish. Next, add a light coating of all purpose flour to each fish. Shake away any excess flour. Leave the fish to rest on a dry surface for 5 minutes.

Place a medium-large sized frying pan on medium heat. Heat the pan for 3 minutes, then add your oil. Heat the oil for 3-5 minutes.

Next, place the fish into the oil and fry on each side for 5-7 minutes and remove. Allow the fried fish to rest on a cooling rack.

Grab a clean frying pan and make the run down sauce by first melting 1 tbsp of salted butter. As soon as the butter melts, add your carrots, red & green bell pepper, onion, garlic, and allspice. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add your coconut milk, 1 tsp of the custom fish seasoning blend, and 1/2 tsp of turmeric and gently stir. If you’d like your sauce with a bit of heat, add your scotch bonnet or habanero and make a small cut into the pepper. Avoid releasing all the seeds. Bring your flame down to low/medium and allow the sauce to simmer for approximately 10 minutes. It should become thicker, with a custard like consistency.

Divide the sauce among each fish by pouring as much or as little as you like over each fish and enjoy!