Dishes with Deana: Seafood Recipes Inspired by a Trip to the Beach

Last week my family went to Sandestin, Florida for a relaxing vacation. We enjoyed time with my sister Stephanie and cousin Hunter. The weather was beautiful and we had a ball. We went to a few restaurants on the beach. If you haven’t eaten outside with a view of the beautiful water, you’re missing out. My bonus son, Cameron and I have decided that our new favorite meal is fresh grouper, cooked anyway. We had several meals including grouper, fried and blackened.

I thought I’d share with you some fantastic recipes from the trip.

Hope you enjoy!

Oven Baked Grouper Recipe – Easy Crispy Panko Coated Fillets

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 clove garlic (small clove, finely chopped)

3/4 tsp fresh thyme can replace 1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp lemon zest

4 fresh grouper fillets (1 to 1-1/2 inches thick) (skinless)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in panko and pepper and cook until panko is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine mayonnaise and lemon zest in a small bowl.

Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper.

Place a wire baking rack in a rimmed baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Using a pastry brush, evenly coat the top and sides of the fish fillets with a thin layer of the mayonnaise mixture.

Dip the fillets in the panko breadcrumb mixture, making sure the top and sides are evenly coated. Do not cover the bottom.

Place the fillet panko side up on the baking rack and repeat with the remaining fillets.

Bake the fillets for about 30-35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fillet registers 140 degrees and the fish flakes easily when a fork is inserted.

coastal lettuce

1 cup apple cider vinegar (or red/white wine vinegar)

2 tablespoons White Sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil (or peanut, coconut etc)

2 cups cabbage (shredded)

1 cup carrot (shredded)

Add salt / pepper

†

Directions

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar and oil and whisk together

2. Add the cabbage and carrot and toss together

3. Add salt and pepper to taste

4. Let sit for 20+ minutes, toss again and serve

Lime pie

ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 – 2 cups graham cracker crumbs*

1/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp butter. molten

filling

3 cups 24 oz sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup lime juice I always use Nellie and Joes Key Lime Juice because I rarely see key limes

2 egg yolks

Zest of 1 lime or lime

Whipped cream

8 oz heavy cream very cold

1 TBS vanilla

3-4 TBS icing sugar

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pulse graham crackers in your food processor until they become crumbs (or buy crumbs).

Add sugar butter and pulse until combined.

Press crumbs onto your pie plate, over the bottom and down the sides.

Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Let the crust cool completely.

Before filling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in your mixing bowl and beat over medium-high for 2 minutes.

Scrape the filling into your prepared (and cooled) pie crust)

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the filling wiggles a little in the center when you shake the pan gently.

Do not let the cake brown.

Let cool for at least 30 minutes on your counter and then put in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Whipped cream

In your mixing bowl, beat the cream on the highest setting until stiff peaks begin to form.

Add vanilla and icing sugar and beat until stiff cream is formed.

Scrape into a piping bag with a decorative tip and decorate your cake when ready (an hour before serving or so.

Sprinkle a little fresh lime zest over it.

Keep the cake refrigerated until serving.