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Old May-01-2008, 09:08 PM   #1 (permalink)
FishStalker
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Name: Charles aka "Ben"
Age: 41
Vessel: 15' Tupperware Sloop
Location: With your wife
Job:Bit Twiddler
Grouper...Vera Cruz

Bluefin Curly got my juices flowing so I thought I'd pull some of the grouper (in my avatar) out of the freezer and do a true Vera Cruz sauce.

Grouper:

Brush with olive oil and season with fresh ground pepper and kosher salt (or sea salt if yo have it).

Heat a small frying pan (depending on how much fish you have to cook) and add a splash of olive oil to coat. Cook grouper fillets over medium heat until opaque but still tender. If fillets are thick (like mine were) you may have to drop a lid on top after you turn the fish to ensure that the fillet is cooked all the way through.

Remove fish to drain on some paper towels and set aside.

Vera Cruz Sauce:

1 whole brown onion, sliced thin
5 cloves garlic, diced
1 serrano, seeded and diced
1/2c pitted and chopped green olives
2 Tbsp drained capers
5-6 average roma tomatoes, chopped
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2c white wine
1/2 tsp white sugar
1-2 bay leaves

Heat a medium saute pan and add olive oil, garlic and onion over medium heat. Cook until onions are soft. Add wine and reduce for 5 minutes. Add tomato, serrano, olives, capers, sugar and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer while covered until tomatoes soften and sauce thickens.

Place grouper fillets in sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes to reheat and season.

Serve fish with a side of basmati rice and cover with vera cruz sauce.

A nice sauvignon blanc and a small fruit salad rounds things out

Thanks again BFC, I love the flavor of vera cruz--the olives and capers add a nice salty, tangy zing to the tomatoes and onions.
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