Meals in Minutes from Casa de Cuisine: Red Snapper with Papaya and Rum

There is no law which states fast food must be deadly. There is no law which states fast food must contain chemicals and poisons. There is no law which states fast food must be high in calories. The fact of the matter is, the origial fast food was known as "bistro" food, food made quick and healthy. It wasn't until the fast food dens of death (the chains) where the term fast food became the equal to slow suicide. In todays hectic lifestyle it is rather hard to take a lot of time to make a decent dinner. With this new series, we'll be sharing with you some incredible meals you can make in a matter of minutes which will be tasty, natural and pretty damn good for you! If you want to see how-to slideshows for any dish in this series, just checkout the Facebook page for ChefLarryEdwards (yes, all one word).

It really was not that long ago when most American's had never heard of red snapper. Once a few brave Chef's started to bring this beautful creature of the deep into their restaurants, the word got out about its alabaster white flesh, it subtle flavor and its ability to blend with most sauces and glazes. Then, almost overnight, the popularity of red snapper became so intense there was a fear it would be over-fished (much like orange roughy). Now it has become almost a seasonal fish with the hopes there will still be some around for the next few generations to enjoy.

I first tasted red snapper a few decades ago while cooking in a small oceanside restaurant in Martinique, one of the islands which make up the Caribbean. When I was not drinking the locally distilled rum, I was creating dishes using what I didn't drink. Then one day I decided to saute some papaya in the rum and serve it over the red snapper. I got fired! But I created one of my signature dishes, Red Snapper with Papaya and Rum!

Ingredients needed to make Red Snapper with Papaya and Rum (serves 2):

• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs. coconut milk
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I use sourdough)
• 2 red snapper fillets
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 papaya, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1/4 cup dark rum

Steps:

1. In a shallow dish whisk together the egg and the coconut milk. Set the dish aside.
2. In another shallow dish, whisk together the garlic powder, garlic salt, black pepper and breadcrumbs.
3. Bathe (dip) the red snapper fillets into the egg mixture and then dredge (coat) in the breadcumb mixture, lightly patting the crumbs onto the fillets. Set the fillets aside 5 minutes.
4. Into a medium saute pan or skillet heat the oil over medium heat.
5. Place the red snapper fillets into the pan and saute 8 minutes per side.
6. Remove the red snapper fillets and keep warm on a serving platter.
7. Into the saute pan add the papaya and saute 5 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum. Place the pan back onto the heat and cook 3 minutes.
9. Spoon the papaya rum sauce over the red snapper fillets and serve.

The new cookbook from Chef Larry Edwards is now available from Amazon.com and bookstores worldwide. One of the most anticipated cookbooks of the year, "Edwardian Cooking: Inspired by Downton Abbey's Elegant Meals."