Just because Lent is over doesn't mean Meatless Friday comes to an end. I think it's a great idea to set aside at least one day a week that's meat-free. Now, let's not get crazy...I don't mean vegetables only :) On occasion this might happen, but fish or eggs are more what I'm talking about. I have a boat-load of fish recipes, but I'm forever looking for more. I happened upon a great seafood site based out of Florida. http://www.bigbendsportsman.com/ is the website for fishing enthusiasts. It began in 2001 when a small group of sportsmen got together after meeting in cyberspace. If you are a fisherman and live in Florida check out all of their great events. The site is a goldmine of information..both serious and fun. You can find tactics for different species, fishing stories (you know the one that got away) and videos, fishing tips & medicine (brief but interesting), and best of all....recipes.
I made a visit to my favorite fish store, Anchor Seafood, in Montvale, New Jersey. It sells just-caught fish, hand-picked from NY's famous Fulton Fish Market, as well as prepared foods like seafood salads, breaded fish fillets and shrimp...great for lunch. They have a glass case full of homemade chowders, bisque and soups as well as foil trays of clam casino, paella, shrimp parmigiana, mussels in marinara sauce, a tank of live lobsters, and baskets of clams. When in season, I can find both soft shell and blue claw crabs... double yum. It is spotless and smells sweet and clean...a sign of good fish. The old adage is: If it smells like fish, leave empty-handed! I rarely leave this store without spending 50 bucks..but it's so worth it.
So my last visit yield...jumbo shrimp, grouper, tilapia, hake and scallops. Did you know grouper and the entire grouper family have become one of the most popular saltwater food fish in the United States? Grouper is a bottom fish and inhabit all of the tropical coral reefs. It can be found in and around bottom ledges, live bottom, and artificial reefs and wrecks. It has a face only a mother could love, but not many fish are as good to eat!
After viewing the grouper recipes at the Big Bend Sportsman website, I decided to try one called, Tato's Grouper. What caught my attention was the finishing sauce made with Grand Marnier & Maple Syrup. What a luscious combination. It also called for pepper jelly which I just happen to have. I treated myself to a small jar at a country store I had visited. I bet if you don't have it on hand you can....mix together a favorite jam/jelly like marmalade and add red pepper flakes to it. So every "specialty" item was either in my fridge or cabinets..cream cheese (I almost went with mascarpone), pepper jelly, Grand Marnier and maple syrup.
The recipe began with "marinate fish as per your normal routine." I don't usually marinate my fish. I also didn't think that any marinade would compliment the sweet ingredients called for in this recipe. I left out the marinate part and was happy with the result. If you can think of a marinade that would go well with the ingredients, by all means go ahead and use it. I served the grouper with brown rice, peas & mushrooms and a salad. This is a keeper and one I'm glad I didn't let get away! Enjoy.
*There were no measurements in this recipe. My kind of recipe!
Grouper With A Grand Marnier & Maple Sauce
1 Grouper fillet (choose a fillet on the thick side)
Grand Marnier liqueur
maple syrup
red pepper jelly
cream cheese
garlic
olive oil
salt
Season grouper with salt. Cut a couple of slits in the grouper. Insert pieces of cream cheese and some red pepper jelly. Seal with toothpick, if needed. Place in a skillet with olive oil and lots of garlic. Brown on each side 4-5 minutes. While cooking, mix maple syrup and Grand Marnier. Stir. Just at the end of the cooking time, pour the Grand Marnier sauce over grouper and finish cooking until fish is white and flaky.
Remember To Make Memories At The Table
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| Grouper in Grand Marnier Sauce |
I made a visit to my favorite fish store, Anchor Seafood, in Montvale, New Jersey. It sells just-caught fish, hand-picked from NY's famous Fulton Fish Market, as well as prepared foods like seafood salads, breaded fish fillets and shrimp...great for lunch. They have a glass case full of homemade chowders, bisque and soups as well as foil trays of clam casino, paella, shrimp parmigiana, mussels in marinara sauce, a tank of live lobsters, and baskets of clams. When in season, I can find both soft shell and blue claw crabs... double yum. It is spotless and smells sweet and clean...a sign of good fish. The old adage is: If it smells like fish, leave empty-handed! I rarely leave this store without spending 50 bucks..but it's so worth it.
After viewing the grouper recipes at the Big Bend Sportsman website, I decided to try one called, Tato's Grouper. What caught my attention was the finishing sauce made with Grand Marnier & Maple Syrup. What a luscious combination. It also called for pepper jelly which I just happen to have. I treated myself to a small jar at a country store I had visited. I bet if you don't have it on hand you can....mix together a favorite jam/jelly like marmalade and add red pepper flakes to it. So every "specialty" item was either in my fridge or cabinets..cream cheese (I almost went with mascarpone), pepper jelly, Grand Marnier and maple syrup.
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| All the Ingredients |
*There were no measurements in this recipe. My kind of recipe!
1 Grouper fillet (choose a fillet on the thick side)
Grand Marnier liqueur
maple syrup
red pepper jelly
cream cheese
garlic
olive oil
salt
Season grouper with salt. Cut a couple of slits in the grouper. Insert pieces of cream cheese and some red pepper jelly. Seal with toothpick, if needed. Place in a skillet with olive oil and lots of garlic. Brown on each side 4-5 minutes. While cooking, mix maple syrup and Grand Marnier. Stir. Just at the end of the cooking time, pour the Grand Marnier sauce over grouper and finish cooking until fish is white and flaky.
Remember To Make Memories At The Table
Nanette
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