Commonly found in coastal Florida waters, grouper is a mild flavored white fish. Its firm texture makes it great choice for sandwiches, whether fried, grilled, broiled or pan seared, and you’ll find this Florida specialty on restaurant menus throughout the state. Our preparation includes the citrus flavors of a classic Cuban mojo, both on the fish and mixed with mayo for a zesty condiment.
Pan-Seared Grouper Sandwiches with Mojo Mayo
Pan-seared grouper (or other firm white fish) in a tasty sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato and a zesty citrus-garlic mayonnaise.
Ingredients
- 1 lb grouper fillet, see notes
- 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 round sandwich rolls
- 1 large tomato, cored and sliced
- Romaine lettuce leaves
For the Mojo Mayo:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
- Cut the fish into 4 uniformly sized pieces, season both sides with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Make the Mojo Mayo by whisking together the garlic, onion, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of this mixture and whisk the mayonnaise into the remainder. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the fish in a single layer and cook until lightly browned, about 1-1/2 minutes. Turn the pieces carefully and brown on the other side, 1-1/2 minutes more. Pour the reserved mojo mixture over the fish, turn again, and continue cooking until the fish is opaque throughout, an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- To serve, line each roll with romaine lettuce leaves, add a tomato slice and a piece of fish and top with the Mojo Mayo.
Recipe Notes
If fresh grouper is not available in your area, halibut and cod can be substituted.
Serve with a corn salad: Combine cooked corn with a tiny amount of oil, some lime juice, a handful of chopped, fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
About the Mojo:
Cuban Mojo is a marinade that is traditionally made with sour orange juice (or a combination of orange, lemon and lime juices), garlic, and spices. Try using the same proportions we list in our recipe, minus the mayonnaise, for a delicious marinade for chicken or pork. Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.
George Bakewell says
I’m a Florida boy transplanted to Oregon. We recently found a local place that has fresh grouper every week or so. I poked around for a good grouper sandwich recipe and stumbled across this one. Made it exactly per the recipe and it was great! The mayo gemish is really tasty; we’ll probably use the leftover tomorrow as a dip for some of our Super Bowl treats.