Snapper with Pine Nut & Herb Stuffing

I didn’t really care for stuffings until I cooked this snapper with pine nut & herb stuffing, inspired by a dish Sardinian chef Giovanni Pilu served me. Herbs, including rosemary, thyme and oregano grow wild throughout Sardinia and are known as ‘erbette di campo’, herbs of the field. They add a fabulous aroma and flavour to stuffings used for poultry or fish. The pine nuts and dried grapes are a remnant of the Arabic influence that often still appears in Sardinian cooking. This fragrant stuffing needs an equally aromatic wine, like a classic Vermentino di Sardegna such as the Villa Solais from Cantina Santadi. It has 10% nuragus (an indigenous grape) for added complexity, herbal notes and a lovely mineraly finish with good acidity.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 x 600g snapper, gilled, gutted and scaled (21oz)
Extra virgin olive oil, for rubbing
Salt flakes, to taste
Rocket & herb salad, for serving (see video)

Pine Nut & Herb Stuffing

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (40ml)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 teaspoons (about 10g/⅓oz) pine nuts, toasted and chopped
40g stale sourdough bread, crusts discarded, finely diced (1½oz)
1 tablespoon (about 10g/⅓oz) currants, soaked in warm water for about 30 minutes, drained
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely sliced (about 10g whole)
1 tablespoon finely sliced oregano leaves
2 teaspoons very finely chopped rosemary leaves
25g cold butter, diced (1oz)
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Remove fish from the fridge 30–60 minutes before cooking.
Wipe out the belly cavity to remove any remaining blood. Wipe the skin to remove any stray scales and pat dry with paper towel.
Using a sharp knife, cut 3 deep slashes angled towards the head, into both sides of the fish, through to the bone.
Cover and set aside in a cool place to come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C.
Make Pine Nut, Currant & Herb Stuffing: Place oil, onion and a good pinch of salt in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just starting to colour. Stir in garlic and cook for a further minute or 2, until aromatic. Transfer to a bowl, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well.
Pack the Stuffing inside the cavity of the fish.
Place in an oiled baking dish, rub well with oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 15 minutes or so, basting occasionally, until the flesh inside the scoring at the thickest part of the fish is just opaque all the way to the bone.
Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes.
Place on a platter, drizzle with any cooking juices and serve with Rocket & Herb Salad.