Fried Snapper with Hibiscus Crust

Name: Fried Snapper with Hibiscus Crust
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Peruvian
Ingredients: HIBISCUS CRUST & SAUCE; 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers, chopped; ¼ cup dried parsley leaves; ¼ cup dried oregano; 2 chiles de árbol, stemmed, toasted, and chopped; 2½ tsp sea salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp lime zest; 1 tbsp orange zest; Juice of 2 limes; Juice of 2 oranges; ½ cup scallions, sliced; ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped; CHOCLO CORN CREAM; 2 ají amarillo chiles, crushed; ½ yellow pepper, finely chopped; 1 yellow onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1¼ cups fresh sweetcorn; ¼ tsp ground cumin; ½ cup whole milk; ½ tsp white wine vinegar; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; SNAPPER; 4 snapper fillets; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Juicy fried snapper with a mildly acidic, spicy hibiscus crust and traditional Peruvian Choclo corn cream.

Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 4
Level: Intermediate

Behind the recipe

A little story before we cook

This is an easy yet sophisticated dish packed with color, fragrance, and flavor. The unusual combination of hibiscus and Choclo corn gives guests something exciting to discover: a crisp crust, tender fish, bright citrus sauce, and velvety corn cream.

Method

Make it

01
Process the dried hibiscus, parsley, oregano, chiles, 2 teaspoons salt, and black pepper until finely ground. Add the lime and orange zest and pulse again.
02
For the citrus sauce, combine 3 tablespoons hibiscus crust powder with both citrus juices and ½ teaspoon salt. Add scallions and cilantro; set aside.
03
For the corn cream, sauté the onion in olive oil for 7–8 minutes. Add garlic and ají amarillo and cook 2–3 minutes. Add sweetcorn and cumin for one minute, then add milk and bring nearly to a boil. Simmer for five minutes, add vinegar, and blend to a textured purée. Keep warm.
04
Season the snapper with hibiscus crust and coat lightly with flour. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry skin-side down for about three minutes, turn, and sear for one minute. Add butter and cook until just done.
05
Serve the snapper topped with hibiscus citrus sauce and warm Choclo corn cream.

Lion Chef note

Leave a little texture in the Choclo corn cream rather than blending it completely smooth.

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