Recipes: Fried Grouper Sandwich

The joy of catching and cooking fish

I learned to fish from my father. When I was a youngster he often took me with him to drop a line in the brown-green languid waters in the Atchafalaya Basin. I enjoyed the time we spend together on the water that teemed with sac-a-lait, perch, goggle-eye and gaspergou. Even as a youngster, I was enthralled by the sights, sounds and smells that surrounded us while we quietly meandered through the swamp, catching a few here, a few there.

While we waited for the fish to bite, Papa pointed out a heron or an egret that lighted on the limbs of a bald cypress, or a shy red-eared turtle sunning on a fallen log. Being deathly afraid of snakes and hornets, I spent a lot of time scanning the tree limbs under which Papa stopped to cast his line.

When I was older, I graduated to fishing in Vermilion Bay, which I thought was more my cup of tea. The wide-open water smelled of sea salt and had no tree stumps to avoid, and on a good day we brought home firm-fleshed and tasty speckled trout, flounders, croakers and sometimes a redfish. But it was going out into the Gulf of Mexico that thrilled me even more. And the fish — grouper, red snapper, pompano — were not only fun to snag, but also made for delicious eating!

In these warm days of summer, a leisurely repast is ideal for a late afternoon on the screen porch overlooking Bayou Teche.

To begin, offer small sandwiches of grouper and fried green tomatoes to munch on washed down with whatever cool drink is your poison—chilled white wine or vodka and tonic is what I usually go for.

STARTER

Tomato Bread Pudding

2 tablespoons butter
3 large tomatoes, trimmed and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped sweet basil
2 tablespoons chopped Greek oregano
½ cup olive oil
10 cups cubed French or Italian bread
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 eggs
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish.

2. Toss tomatoes in a bowl with salt, pepper, basil, oregano and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Arrange tomatoes in one layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast until lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

3. Toss cubed bread with remaining olive oil to coat evenly. Spread evenly on a sheet pan and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Whisk together milk, cream and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheeses. Transfer bread to prepared baking dish, then pour egg mixture over bread and add tomatoes, pushing down into bread and custard. Bake until firm to touch and golden brown in spots, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings

MAIN DISH

Fried Grouper Sandwich

1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning mix
4 (4 to 5 ounce) grouper fillets
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ cup buttermilk
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
4 (6-inch) po’boy buns, cut lengthwise in half
¼ cup melted butter
Tartar sauce (optional) for garnish
Lemon wedges (optional) for garnish

1. Combine flour, cornstarch and seasoning mix in a shallow bowl and set aside. Rub fillets with salt and cayenne. Put buttermilk in a shallow bowl.

2. Heat oil (about three inches) in a deep, heavy pot or electric fryer to about 350 degrees. Dredge fillets first in flour mixture, shaking off any excess, then dip in buttermilk, allowing any excess to drip off, then dredge again in flour. Fry fillets until golden, five to six minutes, and drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

3. Brush inside of buns with melted butter and toast lightly.

4. Put a fillet on one side of bun and top with remaining side. Slice into small serving pieces. Serve with fried green tomatoes, tartar sauce and lemon wedges. Makes 8 small sandwiches.

ON THE SIDE

Fried Green Tomatoes

4-6 medium-size tomatoes (not very ripe and on green side), thickly sliced
Salt and black pepper
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cornmeal

1. Season tomatoes generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Put flour in a shallow bowl. Combine buttermilk and eggs in another shallow bowl, and put cornmeal in yet another shallow bowl.

2. Dredge tomatoes first in flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in milk and egg mixture, then dredge in cornmeal, tapping off any excess. Fry tomatoes, in batches, until golden, about two minutes on each side. Add more oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings