Pan-Seared Grouper With Lemon-Garlic Sauce Recipe

Pan-seared grouper with lemon-garlic sauce is an elegant yet incredibly simple preparation that lets this unique and meaty fish shine. According to food Blogger Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, the hardest part about cooking grouper is finding it. While fish like salmon, tilapia and haddock are available in every large grocery store, grouper is a rare ingredient that is usually only available at your local fishmonger.

The unique thing about grouper is its sweet, thick flesh. It holds its shape well even after cooking, and it tends to taste great even if the fish is overcooked (which can easily happen with fish fillets, which tend to be thick in the middle but thin in the ends). We like to pair it with a sharp, lemony and garlicky sauce to highlight the fish's neutral flavor and firm texture.

According to SeafoodSource, groupers come from the sea bass family of fish, and they usually belong to two types: black and red grouper. Black grouper, which is the larger of the two, is a bit more rare. Grouper is an ocean fish, available in the waters around the United States and across Central and South America. It really is a treat to enjoy such a fish, so follow this recipe to ensure that you cook it to perfection.

To make this dish, you will need two grouper fillets, olive oil, butter, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. The fillets can have the skin off or on one side.

Season both sides of the grouper fillets with salt and pepper to taste. Then, to a large pan set to medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter (the butter will give it more flavor, while the olive oil will keep it from burning too quickly).

Add the fish fillets (skin-side down, if it has skin) to the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip over to the other. Both sides should be golden brown once the searing process is over. The fish will be ready when it measures 145 F in its thickest part, and when it flakes easily with a fork.

To make the sauce, add the remaining olive oil and butter to the same pan where you cooked the fish. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, and parsley. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the pan-seared grouper to serving plates. Spoon the lemon-garlic sauce over the fish, letting it generously coat as much as possible. Grouper pairs nicely with a green salad, or with a buttery, fatty side like potatoes.