Let’s be honest, sometimes eating fish can be boring. It doesn’t have a ton of flavor in a lot of cases, and it really needs other elements to make it interesting. This dish does not disappoint when it comes to flavor. I want to a make a big batch of this warm bean salad to eat for lunch for days.
The citrus vinaigrette with za’atar is tart and fresh and packed with flavor so there is nothing boring about this fish. I liked the red snapper here but you could make this dish with any fish you like and I think it would work. There is a link on my Favorite Item Links page to za’atar if you want to buy some. If you haven’t tried it, it is a savory blend of dried herbs and spices and I use it often in cooking.
I used butter beans for this as they are large and work great for this salad. The salad is served warm and is flavored with garlic, shallot, smoked paprika, tomato, and sherry vinegar. The sherry vinegar is key, so don’t swap another vinegar here.
Broiled Red Snapper with Citrus Herb Vinaigrette and Warm Bean Salad
Ingredients
For the Fish:
- 4 6oz skin on red snapper filets or other fish
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground corinader
For the vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tsp za'atar
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp pickled banana peppers finely chopped
For the bean salad:
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 celery stalks cut on the bias into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1 15oz can or jar of butterbeans drained
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1/4 cup parley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the fish:
- Rub the fish with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and coriander and rub in. Place on a foil lined sheet pan, making sure to oil the foil. Heat the broiler and cook the fish for 10-12 minutes until the skin is crispy and the fish is fully cooked.
For the vinaigrette:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
For the bean salad:
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot and cook, stirring for a minute or two. Add the celery, kale, tomato paste, and paprika and stir. Add in the beans, a few tbsp of water and the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring as needed until the beans are warm. Taste and add more salt/vinegar/paprika as needed.
To plate:
- Place some bean salad on the plate and spread it around a little. Top with the cooked fish and spoon vinaigrette over the top. Serve with extra vinaigrette on the side.