Road Trip to The Keys

Lady Sally and I try to do something special each year for our birthdays, which are exactly one week (and several years) apart.

This year we decided to take a mini-vacation to the Florida Keys.  Sally had been down that way years before, but although I like Jimmy Buffet music I had never visited Margaritaville along US Hwy 1.  One thing I really wanted to do was snorkel at John C. Pennecamp State Park (the first underwater park in the US), or somewhere nearby in the marine reserve attached.  Through AirBnB.com we found a fabulous place to stay in Islamorada,  advertised as Island Life, an "apartment" in a house hosted by Jackie and Tim.  We booked a 4 night stay with them and drove on down.  Really great location, beautiful accommodations, and hosts who went above and beyond to make our stay delightful.

Tim is a charter fishing captain in his 'free' time, and brought us a huge slab of grouper filet  from a fish he'd speared on Saturday.  Rather than take it to a restaurant and have them cook it for Sunday dinner, we kept it in the fridge, then on ice as we drove home Monday, and after we got home, I went to the grocery store to get some ingredients to prepare it in a special way. This preparation of one of our favorite fish is the newest signature dish in The Kilted Cook's repertoire.


Captain Tim's Keysian Grouper with Mango Pico de Gallo


Mango Pico de Gallo
serves 8-10
1 ripe Mango, peeled, pitted and diced into about 1/4" cubes
3 Roma Tomatoes, diced 1/4"
1/2 medium White Onion, diced 1/4"
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 3" jalapeno, seeded, veined and diced 1/4"
juice of 1 Lemon

Toss everything to combine well, and allow to chill for at least an hour before serving.

Pico de Gallo

Grouper
serves 2
1/2 pound fresh (if you can get it) Grouper filet
Original Everglades Seasoningtm to taste
6-8 capers
1 tbsp 1/4" diced White Onion
1/2--3/4 cup White Wine
1 tbsp 1/4" diced Red Bell Pepper
1 Persian Lime or half a dozen Key Limes, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds

Lay the lime slices in your skillet in a pattern that will support the fish. If desired, some of the skin can be removed from the lime slices to prevent overpowering the fish.  Dust the top of the fish with Original Everglades Seasoning.  The seasoning blend is a mild to moderately spicy blend reminiscent of a Creole or Cajun seasoning.

Pour the wine around the fish until it almost touches the bottom of the filet.  Create a "courtbouillion" (flavored poaching liquid pronounced 'coo-be-yon')  by adding the onion, capers, and bell pepper to the liquid.  Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and poach for about 15 minutes (check for the fish flaking after about 10 minutes) until just cooked through.  Plate and top with the Pico de Gallo.

Grouper for two in courtbouillion 

Sides
For the starch I made French Potato Wedges by quartering a couple white potatoes and tossing them with a splash of olive oil and a few pinches of Herbs de Provance seasoning before cooking.  For the vegetable I combined Sugar Snap Peas and stripes of Red Bell Pepper splashed with EVOO as well.  Both dishes can be steamed or microwaved.

Captain Tim's Keysian Grouper Dinner.  Thanx Tim!

Next Week:  Road Trip Restaurants