GRILLED RED SNAPPER

Once upon a time the poor little fellow in the picture above was happily swimming, minding its own business. The fish could not foretell the future. Otherwise, it would have swum faster, or slower, or in a different place. Sorry, my lad or lass. Sooner or later, in its various ways, the ignobility and maliciousness of life will lay waste upon us all.   

The red snapper came from the store cleaned and ready to cook. I rinsed it, seasoned it, placed it in aluminium foil and cooked it on the grill. 

Ingredients:

1 red snapper, large enough to feed four people.

1 large onion, sliced into rings
olive oil

lemon juice
lemon slices

fresh parsley

fresh thyme

fresh basil
fresh dill

salt and pepper

garlic powder

Directions:

How much seasoning and herbs to use? I did not really measure them - I just used what I felt was enough to flavour but not overpower the fish.

• Rinse the fish inside and out and pat it dry with paper towels. 
• Rub olive oil and lemon juice all over, including the cavities. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 
• Cut slits on each side of the fish and put a slice of lemon into each slit. 
• Stuff the cavity with parsley, thyme, lemon slices and dill. 
• Lay the onions, some dill, parsley, and thyme in the middle of a piece of parchment paper that is large enough to enclose the fish. 
• Place the fish on top of the herbs.
• Top the fish with basil and sprinkle a little more olive on it. Seal the parchment well.  
• Place the parchment package on a piece of heavy-duty aluminium foil. Crimp the foil edges together to form a packet. 
• Place the fish on the grill and cook with the cover closed. 
• Cooking should take twenty minutes to half an hour maximum. The fish will be ready when the meat is soft and flakes off easily. 
• Remove it from the foil and parchment and place on a serving platter. 
• The herbs and onions the fish was cooked on can be discarded. 
• This is important: sprinkle some olive oil and lemon juice on the cooked fish and let it rest for about five minutes before serving. The fish will absorb additional flavours.