Corn-crusted Yellowtail Snapper with Lemon-Boniato Mash and Smoked Pepper Relish

Food Service Search Staff

INGREDIENTS:Corn Crust:
4 ears corn
1 cup flour
1 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

Corn Sauce:
5 ears yellow corn
1 large white onion
3 garlic cloves
7 cups water
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf

Smoked Pepper Relish:
1 red pepper
1 oz. olive oil
½ oz. red wine vinegar
8 cilantro leaves, chopped

Lemon Boniato Mash:
4 peeled, diced boniato (white sweet potato)
2 ½ oz. butter
3 ounces sour cream
2 fresh lemons, juice only
2 Tbsp. chopped chives
to taste, salt and pepper

Yellowtail Fillets:
4 7-ounce boneless, skinless yellowtail fillets (any snapper can be substituted)
6 oz. buttermilk
1 oz. vegetable oil DIRECTIONS:For Corn Crust:
Remove kernels from cob, dry in 175° F oven for 4 hours, stirring until completely dried. When dried, grind in food processor or small coffee grinder and mix with flour, chili, salt, and pepper.

For Corn Sauce:
Cut corn off the cobs. Cut onion into 1-inch pieces. Sauté onions in butter in medium saucepan until golden brown. Add corn cobs (not kernels), water, bay leaf, thyme, and garlic, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add corn kernels to pan and cook for additional 30 minutes or until corn is soft. Remove corn cobs, bayleaf, and thyme and discard them. Let cool, then process until smooth in a blender. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and reheat in saucepan on low heat when ready to serve.

For Smoked Pepper Relish:
Cut red pepper in half, then remove seeds and membrane. Place pepper halves (cut side down) on cookie sheet and cook in oven at 325°F for 30-45 minutes, or until skin peels off easily. Dice pepper into small squares and place in small bowl. Add chopped cilantro, vinegar, and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made a day in advance.

For Lemon Boniato Mash:
Place peeled, diced boniato in pot of boiling water and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until completely soft and mashable. Strain and add lemon juice butter, sour cream, and chopped chives. Mix in steel bowl until smooth.

For Yellowtail Fillets:
Preheat oven to 375°F and heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Soak snapper fillets in buttermilk for a few minutes. Remove and place directly into corn crust mixture, coating fillets on both sides. Sauté fillets for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Turn over fillets and transfer skillet to oven. Bake approximately 4 to 5 minutes, until fish is cooked through and flaky.

For Plating: Reheat corn sauce and mirror bottom of plate. Place 6 oz. lemon boniato mash in center of plate, top with snapper fillet, and place pepper relish on snapper. Garnish with chives.

Note: Regular mashed potatoes may be substituted if boniato is unavailable. SERVINGS: 4 servings From:Chef/Co-owner Johnny Vinczencz, Astor Place, Miami Beach PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: ASTOR PLACE