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When I tried to replicate the dish, which was simply called "Pistachio-crusted Red Fish," my first goal was to find out what exactly is meant by "red fish," because we couldn't get that exact information from our waiter. The fish markets I spoke with told me that it would most likely have been either some sort of rock fish, or a red snapper. I went with snapper, since my local market had just brought in a fresh catch. I was so surprised at the mild price tag on red snapper, after buying wild salmon most of the summer. When I made this dish for my husband and me, the fish cost totaled $4.45 for three-quarters of a pound, almost exactly the same price I paid for the pistachios used to make the crust.
The red snapper turned out to be the perfect complement for the pistachio crust and we added the touch of the browned butter-shallot-wine sauce. All in all, this dish is a real crowd pleaser. We have served it again, as part of a surf and turf dinner, and it did not disappoint. It is kind of difficult to get around the fact that pistachios are an amazing nut, and when paired with browned butter, the combination is delectable.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA