I’ve been under the weather for the last couple of weeks and haven’t felt much like cooking. I know I’ve been a little absent from the blog, from Facebook, and from Twitter, but I’m finally feeling like myself again and ready to get back in the kitchen!
A few weeks ago, I saw this pan fried fish recipe on television and just couldn’t get it out of my head. Whenever that happens, I can’t rest until I’ve made it and BeeBop has taste-tested it. Sometimes they’re a hit and sometimes they’re a miss. This one is a home run. A hit-it-out-of-the-park kind of home run.
The original recipe used red snapper but that was nowhere to be found within a 20 mile drive of my house, so I substituted grouper. If you have access to fresh red snapper, please do use it. The fish is lightly pan fried and served over a delicious sauce that combines roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic and other goodies. It’s a wonderful recipe full of bold flavors that is easy enough for a week night or nice enough to serve to company.
Start by preparing the red pepper sauce.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat.
In a food processor, combine the drained roasted red peppers, tomato, bread, pine nuts, garlic, rosemary, parsley, and balsamic vinegar. With the processor running, stream in the olive oil to form a thick sauce.
Add the remaining two tablespoons olive oil and a rosemary sprig to a shallow, non-stick pan. Heat over medium to medium-high heat while preparing the fish.
Season the fish with your choice of seasoning salt or seafood seasoning. I used Jane’s Crazy Mixed-Up Salt because that’s what we like, but you use whatever your family likes. Dredge the fish in flour, shaking off the excess.
Cook in the rosemary-infused oil for 7-8 minutes until crispy and golden brown on both sides.
To serve, spoon a puddle of the red pepper sauce into the center of a plate. Place the fish on top of the sauce. Pass lemon wedges to squeeze over the fish.
Enjoy!
Pan Fried Fish with Red Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tblsp. pine nuts
- 1 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers
- 1 large Roma tomato, coarsely chopped
- 2 slices stale bread, torn in large pieces
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided use
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 tblsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tblsp. additional
- 4 grouper filets (4 to 6 oz. each)
- Seasoning salt or seafood seasoning
- Flour for dredging
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Drain the roasted red peppers.
- Place the pine nuts, roasted red peppers, tomato, bread, garlic, leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary, parsley, and balsamic vinegar in the bowl of a food processor. Turn the processor on and stream in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil forming a thick sauce. Set the sauce aside until needed.
- Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the remaining sprig of rosemary in a shallow, non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Let the rosemary heat with the oil while preparing the fish.
- Season the fish on both sides with either seasoning salt or seafood seasoning. Dredge the fish in flour shaking each piece to remove the excess. Cook in the rosemary-infused olive oil for 7 to 8 minutes until fish is crispy and golden brown on both sides. Do not crowd the pan and cook in two batches if necessary. Remove the fish to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- To serve, place a puddle of red pepper sauce on each plate and top with fish fillets. Pass lemon wedges to squeeze over the fish.
Notes
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Other recipes using roasted red pepper sauce you might enjoy from around the internet:
- Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce from Two Peas and Their Pod
- Uptown Hoe Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce from One Perfect Bite
- Pizza with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce from Pink Bites
- Pan Roasted Green Beans with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce from Cafe Johnsonia
- Baked Zucchini Fries with Feta and Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce from Cookin’ Canuck
What I was up to:
- One year ago: Baked Spaghetti
- Two years ago: Baked Corn Casserole
- Three years ago: Mini Caprese Appetizers
I’m sorry you haven’t been feeling well, Lana, but am glad to hear you’re on the mend. This dish sounds like something I’d want to make over and over again. That sauce would be great on chicken, or folded into a tortilla with some grilled steak.
Oh, absolutely Dara! That sauce would be great with any number of things.
I always tell folks who are afraid to cook fish that a pan fry is a technique they should master. Easy and versatile. GREG
That’s great advice, Greg. I agree it’s an easy technique and one that almost always produces a great end product.
Oh Lana, you are on to something now… this sauce is a dandy – would love it with many things but I’m gonna try it with some snapper first – the boats are coming in everyday with everyone one catching their limit – two, now isn’t that just plain silly, chartering a snapper boat only to be able to keep two fish – I tell ya, the government done lost their mind, more red snapper out there this year than ever in recorded history… well, got that off my chest, now just gotta go find a capt that will part with some stow-a-way snapper on board!
A two snapper limit! You’ve got to be kidding. You’d have to have yours and a buddy’s catch to make a good meal. I do hope you’ll try this sauce – it’s soooo good!
This looks and sounds great! I am putting it on my list
This looks so good. Pan fried fish is hard to beat and that sauce would really be fantastic.
This fish sounds delicious. I love fish and will have to try this recipe.
If you like fish, you’ll love this recipe! Enjoy!
I love this sauce and can see it being used on different foods.
So glad you’re feeling better and what a winner you’ve found with your return to blogging; that sauce sounds absolutely divine!