1 whole red snapper, 2–3 pounds, scaled and gutted
½ cup Roasted Shallot & Chipotle Compound Butter
1½ pints Papaya Salsa
1 fresh banana leaf, 18–20 inches long
½ bunch fresh cilantro leaves
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced
Warm tortillas, for serving
Roasted Shallot & Chipotle Compound Butter
½ pound unsalted butter, softened
3 ounces roasted shallots, chopped
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
Papaya Salsa
2 shallots, finely diced
4 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chiffonade
1 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
2 large ripe papayas, peeled, seeded and diced
Preparation
Roasted Shallot & Chipotle Compound Butter
Whip the softened butter in a mixer for about 3 minutes to aerate. Add the roasted shallots and chipotle peppers and whip on high speed for another 3 minutes.
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Bring the butter to room temperature before preparing the fish.
Papaya Salsa
Combine the diced papaya, shallots, jalapeños, mint, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
Fish
Heat a wood-fired grill to approximately 500°F.
Score the surface of the snapper in a shallow crosshatch pattern. Liberally rub both sides of the fish with the room-temperature compound butter.
Stuff the cavity of the fish with the sliced lemon, lime and orange and the fresh cilantro. Wrap the stuffed fish securely in the banana leaf.
Place the wrapped fish on the hot grill and cook for 5 minutes. Rotate 45 degrees and cook for another 5 minutes. Carefully flip the fish and repeat the process on the other side, for about 20 minutes total. The banana leaf should begin to roast, blister and blacken.
Remove the wrapped fish from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
To Serve
Slice the banana leaf lengthwise to expose the fish. Serve family style with the papaya salsa and warm tortillas.
