(serves 4)

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, julienned
1 small fennel bulb, julienned
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup fish stock (or bottled clam broth)
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed Chile flakes
1 bay leaf
1 small zucchini, cut into thin strips
salt and pepper
4 red snapper fillets (4 oz each)
greens from tops of fennel bulbs

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the oil, then the onion, fennel and garlic. Saute until just begins to wilt and get brown.

Add white wine, and allow to boil for about 1 minute to burn off the alcohol. Add the fish stock, tomatoes, chiles and bay leaf. Allow to return to a boil.

Trim the stem and blossom ends of the zucchini. Cut thin strips (from blossom to stem) to resemble very wide fettuccine. Add to boiling sauce.

Season fillets with salt and pepper. Lay on top of sauce and cover. Steam for 5-7 minutes depending on thickness of fish.

Place fillets in shallow bowl, dividing the sauce between the bowls. Garnish with fennel fronds. Makes four appetizer servings.

This can be done with any firm white fish (cod, bass, even marlin or swordfish). You can also serve this over a rice pilaf, cous cous or pasta as a main course.

This recipe contributed by the fine folks of Herring’s Outdoor Sports in Surf City North Carolina.