Ingredients

Peanut oil

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon lemon pepper 1 ¾ cups

1 cup yellow cornmeal (fine grind)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning

½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

3 fresh lemons for lemon wedges garnishes

3 pounds of fresh mangrove snapper fillets either skinned or scaled with rib bones removed, or whole and scaled with head, dorsal, and anal fins removed and four slits cut across each side of the body.

Directions:

Pour 1 ½ to 2 inches in of peanut oil into a frying pan, or cast iron skillet. Place it over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°.

At the same time, preheat oven to 200°. Place wire racks on baking sheets, and set them aside.

While the oil is heating, prepare the coating for the fish. In a wide bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, flour, garlic powder, Old Bay and lemon pepper.(Note) if you’re cooking a whole fish sprinkle both sides of the fish with the Old Bay and work it into the slits.

When the oil reaches 375°, wash fillet (exception is the whole fish) and dip it in the seasoned mixture, coating it well and shaking off any excess. Carefully lower each piece into the hot oil. Fill the skillet, but do not crowd it; the oil should bubble up around each piece of fish. Keep an eye on the temperature; it should stay between 365° and 375°. Fry the fish until it is golden all over, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, a whole fish may take a minute or two longer depending on the size of the fish.