Grilled Red Snapper With Beurre Blanc

Directions

1. Prepare a warm charcoal fire. Season fish inside and out with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. In a small bowl combine tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice, 2 tsp. oregano leaves finely chopped, and garlic paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix well. Finely dice olives with 1/2 tsp. oregano leaves, transfer to a small bowl and moisten with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
2. Prepare Beurre Blanc Sauce: In a heavy small saucepan heat 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat, add in shallots and 2 Tbsp. oregano and saute/fry, stirring constantly till shallots are softened, about 5 min. Add in remaining 1/4 c. lemon juice and 1 c. of Retsina, bring to a boil and reduce over high heat till only about 1 Tbsp. of liquid is left. Add in 1/4 c. of Retsina, reduce heat to low and add in 1 Tbsp. of cool butter. Incorporate butter with a whisk, moving pan on and off heat as necessary to heat butter to a creamy sauce. Continue to add in butter, whisking, 1 Tbsp. at a time, till 3 sticks have been incorporated. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan; it will be fairly thick. Thin to desired sauce consistency with up to 2 Tbsp. of remaining Retsina. Keep sauce hot over very low heat while you finish cooking fish.
3. While sauce is reducing, place red snapper in a hinged grilling basket and grill 5 - 10 min per side, basting occasionally with extra virgin olive oil and turning once, till just cooked through. When fish is done, divide into 4 fillet portions.
4. Place each fillet in center of a warmed plate. Place tomato mix in a sieve and squeeze out excess juice. Mound 3 spoonfuls of tomato proportionately around border of each plate. Nestle a small spoonful of olive mix against each mound of tomato. Rewarm sauce, if needed and spoon it around fish, tomatoes and olives. Garnish with oregano leaves or possibly with a dry oregano branch.
5. This recipe yields 4 servings.