Snapper Mafaldine Pasta with Lemon Butter

5 from 1 vote

This recipe is a take on a dish I had in Milan the last time I was there. It was so simple in concept, but full of flavor from the fish stock. This is the backbone of this mafaldine pasta recipe. You basically make a really good fish stock and puree it with lots of parsley for a really fresh look and taste.

I added a lemon butter to the bottom of the bowl to give a little richness and acid. A fairly straight forward recipe that have a few steps but shouldn't be something to slave over all day long. Here is the recipe I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

6 people

Fish Stock

1 whole snapper carcasses scraps and skin
1 whole carrot
1 whole onion
2 stalks celery
1 whole garlic bulb
1 whole bay leaf
2 whole thyme
1 tbsp peppercorn
10 cups water

Parsley Sauce

3 cups fish stock
1 bunch parsley blanched
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt

Buerre blanc (lemon butter sauce)

1 cup white wine
1 cup cream
1 stick butter
1 tbsp lemon juice and zest
1 sprig thyme
1/4 tsp salt

Garnish

10 oz mafaldine pasta cooked al dente
2 oz parmesan
1/4 cup parsley leaves

Nutritional information

Calories: 418kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 14gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 1087mgPotassium: 407mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1791IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 235mgIron: 2mg

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 25

Servings 6 people

How to make fish stock

Have your butcher fillet the snapper. Then cut the collar of the fish and reserve for another use. Take the gills out and discard. Then take the whole fish and rinse well under cold water to rid of any blood ( blood will turn your stock cloudy) The place in a stock pot with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a simmer and reduce by at least half. The stock should have a rich deep flavor. If the stock still taste very mild and watery, then reduce a little more until you have a deep flavor profile. Strain out and discard the contents. Then take 3 cups of the fish stock and place in a blender with the blanched parsley. Puree until smooth and season with a little butter and salt. Set aside and keep warm

How to make buerre blanc sauce

In a small sauce pot add white wine, zest, thyme, and garlic. Reduce the liquid by until the wine is just about evaporated (about 3/4 reduced). Then add the cream and reduce that by half. Then finish by adding to the sauce the butter 1 tbsp at a time until it has emulsified. Season with salt and lemon juice, strain if desired. Set aside and keep warm.

To finish

Bring a pot of salted to water to a boil. Place mafadine pasta in the pot, cook until al dente. Meanwhile in a large saute pan add 2 cups of parsley sauce. Season snapper with salt and place in the sauce. Have the heat on medium. You gently want to cook the snapper in the sauce until it is just done. It should only take a minute or two. Toss in the strained out pasta and cook for another minute or two so the pasta soaks up the sauce.
Season everything with salt and pepper. Then place a few spoonfuls of the buerre blanc sauce in the bottom of the bowl. Place the snapper mafadine pasta on top. Then with the left over 1 cup of parsley sauce use a hand blender and froth the sauce. Spoon the froth over the pasta. Finish with parmesan and parsley sprigs. Serve and enjoy!