
Apricot Glazed Grouper
Apricot Glazed Grouper
Ingredients
- 5 4-ounce grouper fillets, skin off
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- 4 cups orange juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- White pepper and salt, to taste
- Olive oil, as needed
Directions
In a small saucepot over medium high heat, add orange juice, ginger, and cinnamon stick. Reduce mixture by 70 percent. Whisk in apricot preserves, making sure to melt out any lumps. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl and reserve.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Season grouper fillets on both sides with salt and white pepper. Add oil to pan. When pan generates a small amount of smoke, place fillets face side down into pan. When grouper has achieved proper browning (approximately 1 minute), flip fillets over and continue to cook for 20 seconds. Place fillets on a greased sheet pan face side up and liberally coat them with the apricot glaze. Place grouper in the oven to finish cooking. One minute before the grouper is finished, apply another coat of the apricot glaze and place grouper back in oven until finished.
Recipe adapted from Chef Edwin French, North Carolina chef, 2005 Great American Seafood Cook-off

Battered Fish
Battered Fish
Ingredients
- Rockfish, halibut, or any other tasty fish
- 1 12 oz beer (Light and crisp or malty beers works well. Try your favorite pilsner or Oktoberfest)
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 egg, whites only
- Seasoning, generous to taste
- Oil
Directions
Combine beer, flour, egg whites, and seasoning. Allow the batter to sit while you prep your fish. This helps the flavors to blend and the batter to thicken a bit.
Cut your fish into manageable pieces. There's no perfect size here, just make sure you'll be able to flip them easily.
Set up a station so you can work fluidly from fish, to batter, to pan, to cooling rack.
Heat/manage oil. You'll want a good amount. Enough to come at least half-way up the side of your fish. You'll want this hot, but not so hot that it burns or smokes. For each batch, check to be sure you have enough oil. If you add oil between batches, allow it to heat up before adding fish. If you're oil seems to have gotten too hot, you can add a bit more oil to cool it down.
Batter, cook, and rest your fish. You'll do this in batches, filling the pan, but allowing room for each piece.
Drop each peice in the batter, move it around so it is coated, ease it into the hot oil with tongs to avoid splashes (careful, oil is hot). Once in the pan, if needed, you can use a spoon to carefully add a bit of batter to the top of any piece that looks a little light on batter. Watch for the batter to puff up and brown on the edges (approximately 5 minutes, but time depends on size of fish, heat of oil, etc.). Using a spatula, peak at the underside. When browned, flip. Cook the next side until browned (this usually takes a bit less time than the first side).
Remove cooked pieces to your cooling rack or paper towels. This helps any surface oil drain off so they won't be oily and will be nice and crispy. If you're making a lot, you can serve in batches or, if serving all at once, you can place early batches in a warm oven while you finish the rest.
Present on a plate or serving platter, finish with a bit of coarse or kosher salt.

Italian Seared Grouper
Italian Seared Grouper
Ingredients
- 6 (6-ounce) well-trimmed center cut grouper fillets
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 3 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
Blend all seasoning for grouper crust. Lightly dust grouper on one side and set aside. Heat skillet and place olive oil in pan. Make sure pan is hot. (A drop of water should pop when added to skillet.)
Sear grouper for 2 minutes with herb side down. Reduce heat to medium and flip fish. Cook an additional 3 minutes and remove from the pan.
Recipe adapted from Chef Rob Stinson, Mississippi Chef, 2009 Great American Seafood Cook-Off
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