Red snapper with fennel (Filet de rouget à l'anis)

Back in the 80s when Joy Division was the hip restaurant soundtrack of choice, the fennel bulb was making its way to menus for the BMW crowd. Ah... yuppies, they knew what was good back then. You can toast the taste shift of yuppies with this really easy dish. Should take only 1 hr to make. 

Ingredients

2 pcs red snapper (this is also works nicely with salmon filet)

1 pc lemon

salt and pepper

Garnish

1 pc fennel

50 g butter

50 ml pastis

50 ml fish stock

3 pcs star anis

salt and pepper 

Sauce

curry powder

100 g butter

Cut off stalks and discard most of the fennel, but keep a couple of branches for decoration. Peel a layer of the fennel bulb, cut in half, and chop thin slices against the grain. Sweat fennel in butter ( I would use half of  what is recommended) over low heat. Once the fennel starts to get translucent add 2 pcs of star anis, 1/2 of pastis, and 1/2 of fish stock. Cover it with a lid, and put the pot in the oven at 350 °F . Cook for 30 minutes, check mid-way, the mixture should be simmering. When the 30 minutes are up, add salt and pepper to taste and the last star anise. Cover, set aside to let cool. 

Mound the fennel in the middle of a shallow dish. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place the red snapper with the skin side up over the fennel. Top it off with a bit more pastis and fennel juice. Increase oven heat to 375F. Cook the fish for a good 6 to 8 minutes.

Pour a ittle of the fennel juice in a pot, add a pinch of curry and butter.  Simmer until smooth like a juice consistency. Drizzle the sauce over the fish, and serve. 

Voila, red snapper with fennel. 

Filet de rouget à l'anis