Photo by Adriana Araya.
Among the myriad ways in which one can cook a piece of fish, simply searing a filet until just slightly crispy on the edges and then drizzling it with a little butter has to be one of the best.
It's a classic way of preparing fish with literally hundreds of variations. France has sole meunière, Mexico has filete al mojo de ajo, and Costa Rica has this seared red snapper with a creamed orange butter. MUNCHIES obtained the simple recipe from Federico Lizano, a Costa Rican chef is known in the region for his simple yet extremely tasty food.
His restaurant Maza in San José proudly abides by the Slow Food philosophy. Dishes like this red snapper are inspired by the bounty of ingredients available locally. Lizano's compound butter, for example, is made with the zest of Costa Rica's tropical oranges.
The citrusy, slightly sweet tang in the butter goes a long way. If you have any leftover, it would also taste amazing spread on some toasted bread. Just saying.