ORLANDO, Fla.  — We're in the thick of the fall season, so you've probably seen pumpkin or butternut squash sneaking onto local menus.

However, at Everglades inside the Rosen Centre, Chef Fred Vlachos is trying to "bring back old Florida in a new way." And he's doing that with red snapper.

"It's a very mild fish," Vlachos said. "Nice soft texture."

He hits it with a passion fruit sauce that begins with white wine and ends with heavy cream.

Another key component is Beluga lentils. They look just like Beluga caviar.

"I don't see them very often (in dishes)," Vlachos said, about the lentils. "They've got a little spiciness to them."

Vlachos achieves a lightness to the dish by topping it with fennel and jicama slaw dressed in blood orange vinegar.

So enough already. Let's cook! 

ROSEN CENTRE’S EVERGLADES RESTAURANT

Sautéed Snapper with Passion Fruit Sauce

Prepared by Everglades Head Chef Fred Vlachos

Ingredients:

6 tbsp passion fruit puree

1 cup mirin

2 tbsp ginger

1tsp turmeric

1cup white wine

2 cup heavy cream

1.5 cup coconut milk

S&P

Reduce sauce

Fennel jicama slaw

2 bulbs fennel shaved

2 oz carrot twirls

2 oz jicama julienne

To coat blood orange vinegar

Beluga lentils

2 tsp garlic

2 tsp fennel diced

2 tsp shallots

½ cup beluga

1.5 cups vegetable stock

S&P

For the plate

6 oz snapper

2 oz passion fruit sauce

3 oz lentils

2 oz Fennel slaw

Chive oil drizzle

Orchid for decoration