A versatile fish, whole red snapper is delicious grilled, baked, or steamed. Fillets are versatile, too, but are especially good pan-fried, broiled, grilled, or braised.

If you are cooking skin-on fillets, they may curl; prevent this by lightly scoring the skin with a sharp knife.

While a simple preparation of red snapper featuring your favorite seasonings will provide a memorable meal, its delicate flavor pairs especially well with strong flavors such as chilies, spice rubs, and tropical fruits.

Baking

For one 3-pound (1,371-gram) red snapper, sauté 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves of chopped garlic in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil. Add seasonings such as tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper, if desired. Put the snapper in a buttered baking dish. Cover with the vegetables and seasonings and bake covered in an oven preheated to 400°F (204°C) for 25 minutes. Remove cover, baste, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Barbecuing

Squeeze 1 lemon cut in wedges over ½ pound of (225 grams) skinned snapper fillets, ½- to ¾-inch (1.3- to 1.9-cm) thick. Season to taste with garlic, salt, and pepper. Brush griddle with oil. Heat over medium heat. Grill fish for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until thickest part of fish flakes with a fork.