Best 6 Salt Crusted Hawaiian Opakapaka Recipes

OPAKAPAKA W/TRI-CITRUS BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the opakapaka with salt and pepper, then cover evenly with flour.
• Heat the clarified butter on medium heat in a saute pan.
• Place the opakapaka in the pan with the skin side up and cook for 3 - 3 1/2 minutes. Turn fish over and cook for an additional 3 - 3 1/2 minutes.
• Place the cooked opakapaka on a large plate and drizzle the tri-citrus butter sauce around the fish.
• Garnish with fried basil and fruit sections.

BAKED OPAKAPAKA (SNAPPER) FILLETS WITH MACADAMIA CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Oil a baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Place the fish in the pan, and sprinkle with pepper and lemon juice.
• In a small skillet heat the rest of the butter. .
• Add the ground nuts.
• Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes making sure the mixture doesn't burn.
• Spread the mixture over the fish.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until done.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

SALT-CRUSTED SALMON WITH COLLARD GREEN SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Mix the salt and egg whites in a medium bowl with your hands and incorporate until the mixture feels like wet sand.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of the salt mixture into a thin layer, in the shape of the salmon, on a baking sheet. (You may need to spread the mixture diagonally on the baking sheet.)
• Arrange the lemongrass, ginger, chile, and cilantro over the bed of salt. Place the fish, skin side up, on the bed of salt and aromatics and pack the remaining salt mixture over and around the fish, molding it to the shape of the fillet, sealing the fish and aromatics inside.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The salt crust should have a warm golden color almost like sand and be rock hard. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Present the fish at the table within its salt crust, then, using a wooden spoon, strike the crust to crack it. Carefully lift pieces of the salt crust from the fish in large chunks. Peel back the skin, exposing the juicy, perfectly cooked fish. Divide the fish among plates. Discard the salt and aromatics.
• Serve with the salsa verde.
• In a food processor, pulse the collard greens, Brazil nuts, garlic, parsley and olive oil until thoroughly combined. You can use a flexible rubber spatula to scrape down the ingredients in the food processor to make sure everything mixes evenly.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the lemon zest and salt to taste (I use about 1 1/2 teaspoons). Stir in the vinegar just before serving.
• Adapted and excerpted from "Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day" by JJ Johnson and Alexander Smalls with Veronica Chambers. Copyright © 2018 by JJ Johnson and Alexander Smalls with Veronica Chambers. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books. All rights reserved. Photography by Beatriz da Costa.

GRILLED HAWAIIAN OPAH WITH CANDIED LEMONS AND HERB SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the grill or a grill pan over high heat.
• Combine the honey, saffron, pepper, kosher salt, lemons and 2 to 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Simmer gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding more water or honey as needed, until the consistency thickens and the lemon slices start to break down, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle the opah on both sides with sea salt and pepper and lightly coat with the olive oil. Make sure the grill surface is clean, and then grill the fish on one side on the hottest part of the grill about 5 minutes, rotating halfway through to create diamond grill marks after about 3 minutes. Flip the fish using a fish spatula and repeat on the opposite side, cooking until fish is medium-rare, almost medium, another 4 to 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish just before removing it from the grill and transfer to a serving plate. Brush the tops of the fish with a hint of olive oil and then cover with the candied lemons, followed by the basil, dandelion greens, parsley and chives.

SALT CRUSTED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, trimmed to extend 3-inches in diameter around outside of the fish.
• In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites, sea salt, flour, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and 1/2 cup of water. Mix with your hands until a thick paste forms.
• Fill the cavity of the fish with the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts and lemon slices. Rub the exterior of the fish with the garlic, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley and freshly ground black pepper
• Put the fish on the parchment lined baking sheet. Mound the salt paste evenly over the entire fish. Press the mixture firmly down to the baking sheet, being careful to seal any cracks.
• Bake the fish until the crust is golden brown and very firm, about 18 to 20 minutes.
• Slide the parchment and fish onto serving platter or cutting board and crack the crust with a handle of a large knife. Slide a spoon under the top fillet, over the spine, and lift it to a serving platter. Turn over and repeat. Garnish with lemon slices and serve immediately.

PECAN-CRUSTED OPAKAPAKA

Steps:

• Mix flour, salt and pepper.
• Mix milk and egg.
• Mince scallions and pecans and mix with crumbs.
• All three of these mixtures should be on separate flat dishes.
• Dip each fillet in flour mixture, then in milk mixture, then in pecan mixture.
• Heat oil.
• Cook fillets 3 minutes, or until golden.
• Turn carefully and cook 3 minutes on the other side.