We were fortunate to celebrate Thanksgiving, in Florida, with close friends. Before we returned home, I asked to prepare a meal for our friends and they agreed. In that my favorite fish is grouper and just-caught grouper was a short walk away, that was the centerpiece of the dinner.
Selecting fresh-caught, never-frozen grouper is a delite unavailable in northern Ohio; I selected two thick, white filets.
To prepare, I removed the skin, rinsed, and dried with clean paper towels. Then, I lightly salted and peppered the filets and cut them into individual pieces, making it easier to fit into the saute pan.
I mixed a bit of salt, pepper and paprika into ½ C. flour to make a dredging flour.
In a cast iron skillet, on medium-high heat olive oil and butter. Once hot, dredge fish in flour, shaking off any excess and place in a skillet. Fry for 2-4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your fillet. You only flip the fish once. You may need to adjust the heat to keep the fish cooking without burning. Check for doneness by using a sharp knife to look between the layers. You are looking for a juicy opaqueness. Do not overcook.
Remove fish from the pan to a serving plate and cover with foil.
To the same pan, over medium heat, add a ¼ C. of minced shallots and 1 minced clove of garlic and quickly stir. Add 1 C. white wine and a squeeze of lemon and raise heat to a boil. Cook the sauce down for 2 minutes. Turn down heat, add rinsed capers (as many as you like) and a glob of softened butter. Give it a stir and pour over the fish and garnish with finely chopped parsley.
