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Pan Fried Grouper with Romesco Sauce

Side view of pan seared white fish with red romesco sauce drizzled on the top. Fish spatula on plate.

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EatSimpleFood.com

Romesco sauce is a versatile roasted red pepper and nut based Spanish sauce / recipe, traditionally served with fish.  BUT!  you can put this on anything - veggies, pasta, pork, chicken, etc....

Ingredients

Ingredient List Romesco Sauce:

  • 2 small red peppers (or 8 ounces jar, roasted, drained red peppers)
  • ⅓ cup whole blanched almonds, toasted
  • 2 roma tomatoes, halved
  • 2 garlic cloves, skin on
  • ¾ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup e.v. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 small piece of stale bread or toast, chunked - optional

Ingredient List Fish:

  • 4 (6 ounce) fish fillets - any white fish will do - Grouper, Cod, Halibut
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • salt
  • black pepper

Instructions

For the Romesco Sauce:

  • Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet. Place the almonds on the sheet pan.  Toast ~8 minutes or until fragrant and starting to turn very light brown.  Cool almonds and add to blender and blend.
  • Increase oven to 450F. Drizzle halved tomatoes and garlic (skin on) with a touch of olive oil and salt and add to sheet pan.  Cook ~30 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and starting to brown. Allow to cool and remove peel and seeds and roughly chop.  Add tomatoes and garlic to blender.
  • Use 8 oz jar of roasted red peppers or heat a grill or gas stovetop and place the entire red pepper over the open flame, moving around with tongs as it chars.  You want the red pepper skin to blacken on the outside and be soft (and collapsing) on the inside. 
  • After charring, steam the red peppers ~ 15 minutes by placing them in a bowl and covering with plastic wrap (steaming makes them easier to peel).
  • Peel the charred skins off under running water, seed, chunk, and toss in a blender or food processor.
  • Add remaining ingredients except olive oil to blender.  Slowly add the olive oil in a light stream.  Blend to desired consistency and add salt to taste.

Directions Fish:  Lightly salt and pepper the fish.

  • Bring a large nonstick pan to medium high heat (you will probably need to fry the fish in batches if your pan is not large enough.)  Add butter and wait for it to get hot.  
  • Add fish and fry on one side ~ 2-3 minutes.  If the fish is sticking to the pan, then it is not ready to turn.  It should let go of the pan when it is ready to be flipped (a general rule).  
  • Flip the fish, cover pan, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until fish is flaky.
  • Serve Romesco Sauce over grouper.  Happy Eating!  Beckie

Notes

  • A food processor will make a chunkier more authentic Romesco sauce but a blender will make a smoother Romesco sauce.
  • Any flaky white fish will work with this recipe.