Florida Grouper Sandwich
A thick fillet of grouper seared in a spicy rub, served in a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and lemon mayonnaise.
Photograph credit: Lunch by terren in Virginia · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
What do you look for when choosing grouper for a sandwich? A thick, firm, white fillet with no strong smell. Grouper is a sweet, mild fish with large flakes that hold together when seared, which is what makes it the favourite on the Florida coast. If you cannot find it, cod, haddock or another firm white fish works as well.
The fish is coated in a rub of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne and salt, and seared in a hot pan with a little oil. The spices darken into a crust and the inside stays moist. A few minutes a side is all it needs, since a thick fillet cooks quickly.
Do not move the fish until it has formed a crust, about 4 minutes on the first side. It will release from the pan on its own. Serve the fillets in toasted buns, with a lemon mayonnaise made from mayonnaise, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, plus crisp lettuce and sliced tomato.
How to Make Florida Grouper Sandwich
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Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne and salt. Pat the fish dry and coat it all over with the mix.
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Stir the mayonnaise and lemon juice together.
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Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the fish for 4 minutes on the first side without moving it, then turn and cook for 3 minutes more.
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Toast the buns lightly. Spread with the lemon mayonnaise and fill with lettuce, tomato and the fish.
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Tips That Matter
- Pat the fish dry before coating, or the crust will not form.
- Open a window; the spices smoke in a hot pan.
- Check the thickest fillet is opaque to the centre.
Changing the Recipe
- Fresh herbs work in place of the dried thyme at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.
Serve It With
Chips · Coleslaw · Lemon wedges · Cold beer
Leftovers and Storage
Best eaten straight away.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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