Pan-Seared Snapper with Apple Puree, Brussels Sprouts, and Beet Vinaigrette

This beautiful, colorful dish plays with the same flavors as the recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Avocado and Apple, but in a different configuration. Here, I combine apples and avocado to make a puree that’s rich, but doesn’t overpower the fish. A sprinkling of blanched Brussels sprout leaves provides texture, while a crimson-colored beet vinaigrette adds the intense flavors of reduced beet, apple, and fennel juices.

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Step 1

Peel the apples and set the peels aside. Core and cut the apples into 1-inch chunks (you should have about 1½ cups). In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, olive oil, and salt. Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat until the apples are completely tender (lower the heat if they begin to brown), 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender and let cool to room temperature. Add the apple peels and the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Step 2

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Blanch the Brussels sprouts until they’re bright green and just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Step 3

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the sprouts and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and tender. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

Step 4

Pat the snapper dry and season with kosher salt. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the fish, skin side down, in the skillet and cook, occasionally pressing it down with a spatula to prevent curling, until the skin is brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook until just opaque in the center, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the fish to a plate to rest.

Step 5

Divide the apple puree among four shallow serving bowls (about ¼ cup puree each). Divide the Brussels sprouts over the puree. Top with the fish and season with flaky salt. Spoon the vinaigrette around the fish and serve.

Step 6

The Takeaway Avocados have a subtle flavor and soft, buttery texture, which makes them the perfect ingredient in purees when you want to avoid using butter or oil. In this recipe, they turn what’s essentially apple sauce into a richer accompaniment for fish. They blend very easily into other starchy vegetable purees (broccoli-avocado and edamame-avocado are both excellent pairings), and you can even mash them into potatoes, if you don’t mind the resulting light-green hue. They can also thicken creamy dressings, like green goddess.