Red Snapper Cooked in Lemon with Coconut Milk and Shredded Green Mango

Any tropical area worth its culinary salt has some version of raw fish cooked in citrus, and here's a West African-style entry. The lemon is offset a bit by the mellow coconut milk, but then the green mango adds back a bit of sour, which is then countered by the pungent, sweet ginger and the citrus sweetness of the orange. With so many flavors happening here, no one can accuse this dish of being boring. You may substitute halibut, ocean perch, or rockfish for the snapper. Serves 4 to 6 as appetizer.

1 pound whole red snapper fillets, skins removed

MARINADE:
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced fresh red or green chile pepper
1 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
2 green or semi-ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded, and shredded
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup coconut milk, unsweetened canned
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
Salt and freshly cracked black
pepper to taste

Find a small loaf pan into which the pieces of snapper fillets will just fit in a single layer and place them in it.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, chile, and lemon juice. Pour this mixture over the snapper, cover, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Remove the snapper from the pan, slice against the grain into pieces about the size of a finger, and discard the liquid.

In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and toss well. Arrange on a platter or individual dishes and top with the sliced snapper.

From: Big Flavors of the Hot Sun by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby