Bite with Belkys: Crab Crusted Grouper from Vic & Angelo's Enoteca

The Chef: Paul Griffin
The Restaurant: Vic & Angelo's Enoteca
The Dish: Crab crusted grouper

Ingredients:

8 oz. grouper
extra virgin olive oil
1 oz. of butter
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 Tbs of lobster stock
salt, to tast
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup of blanched carrots, diced small
1/2 cup of blanched celery, diced small 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (or 1/2 teaspoon of Tabasco Sauce)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs (or 15 crushed Ritz crackers)
1 Tbs. of fresh parsley
1 Tbs. of fresh thyme
1 lb. of jumbo lump crab meat
5 roasted garlic cloves
1/4 cup of white wine
Zest of 1 lemon

Method of Preparation:

-Begin by seasoning the grouper with salt and pepper.

-Then, in a hot pan with a little extra virgin olive oil and butter sear the fish until its a nice golden brown.

-Next, prepare the crab crust. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, lobster stock, salt, pepper, blanched carrots and celery. Also, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and lemon juice. Mix this all together. After, toss in panko bread crumbs, parsley and thyme and mix again. Lastly, add the crab meat and let it sit for about a minute.

-Now, place the crab meat mix over the fish, add a little butter and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes.

-For the sauce, saute roasted garlic gloves in olive oil. Then, deglaze the baking pan in which the fish cooked and add that to the garlic. Next, add a touch of lemon zest and dab of butter.

To Plate:

At the restaurant, they serve a bed of escarole and top it with the fish. Then, coat it with the sauce and garnish with a roasted lemon.

Serves: 1

Serving Suggestion: Sauvignon Blanc

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Vic & Angelo's Enoteca
150 Ocean Dr
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 531-0911
www.vicandangelos.com