Grilled Grouper with a Quinoa Mélange
In my previous post I mentioned that my focus this month is to give you ideas to jump start the new year using nutritious and sustainable ingredients.
For the recipe I’m sharing today I used a small Butternut Squash, fresh Spinach, and Quinoa to pair with a fresh filet of Grouper. This recipe was so simple anyone can prepare it without any effort at all.
I knew I wanted to prepare fish last night so I went to the fish market and spotted a beautiful filet of Grouper. Grouper is a mild, white meaty fish – what my family prefers. Since it’s mild in flavor it will mimic much of what you pair it with, without overpowering the dish.
However, I left my cell phone at home and noticed after bringing the Grouper home, that it’s not on the “Best Choice” list of fish from SeafoodWatch.org, but on the “Good Alternative” list (Buy, but be aware there are concerns with how they’re caught or farmed). A better choice would have been the Sea Bass. That said, the dish was delicious!
If we know what we’re purchasing ahead of time, and avoid seafood that have undesirable farming practices, we stand the chance of making a point, in hopes, to eventually reducing these issues.
The Quinoa would be ideal with your fish of choice or chicken. It’s easy to prepare, healthy, and high in protein, vitamins and minerals, keeping you full until bedtime.
Be sure to read my recipe at least 2 times before preparing, to insure everything is ready at the same time.
Grilled Grouper with a Quinoa Mélange
Simple, tasty, and nutritious!
Ingredients:
- 2 (8 oz.) pieces of Grouper or other mild white fish
- olive oil
- sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup dry Quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup water, vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/2 large shallot, minced (approximately 2 Tbsp.)
- 1 small Butternut Squash, 1/4-inch dice
- 4 oz. Fresh Spinach
Directions:
- Place Butternut Squash on a foil lined sheet pan & drizzle lightly with olive oil. Stir to coat all pieces. Place in a 425F degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
- Rinse fish and pat dry. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper.
- Place on a heated grill pan and sear on each side for approximately 4 minutes per side or until golden. Remove and place in a 350F degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until firm and registers 145F degree/63C degrees. Remove from oven.
- In a non-stick skillet place quarter size of olive oil in the pan. Heat, then add shallots and cook for about 4 minutes. Add rinsed Quinoa and allow to heat until fragrant (3 minutes). Add liquid and reduce heat to a simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes until liquid is almost absorbed.
- Add spinach to pan and stir until becomes bright green. Turn off stove and add in Butternut Squash. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until fish is done.
- Plate: Set Quinoa Mélange on each plate and top with Grouper.
Enjoy!!!
You can grill the fish on at outside grill if preferred for approximately 20 minutes or depending on thickness. It was freezing here so I opted to prepare this dish indoors. Either method will work.
Hi, I’m Vicki Bensinger! I have been teaching culinary classes throughout Missouri since 1992. I offer personalized private culinary classes for individuals and small groups in the comfort of your home or organization.
Your meal looks healthy and delicious! I’m not sure I can get Bill on board with quinoa, but he’s loosening up a bit with seafood. I’d be happy with your whole menu!
Grouper is so mild Liz he might think he’s eating chicken. As for the quinoa, my husband doesn’t like it either. I didn’t tell him that’s what it was and he ate everything I plated up for him, which was quite of bit of the quinoa melange. It’s worth a shot.
Hopefully my husband isn’t reading this, otherwise he’ll be on the lookout for more foods I’m sneaking in that he thinks he doesn’t like.
I think it’s all in the prep and certainly rinsing the quinoa is necessary to remove the bitter flavor caused from the saponins.
Grouper is good stuff. When we lived in Florida, sometimes could get excellent locally caught grouper. Good stuff! This is such a nice, healthy recipe — perfect for a healthy new year. 🙂
Thanks John. I never see it the grocery stores but went to Bob’s Seafood and saw a beautiful piece of Grouper they had just received. I couldn’t resist. It was delicious and paired perfectly with the quinoa dish I created.
Can I join you for the dinner? That’s a fantastic meal, Vicki. I miss grouper!
If I’d known you wanted to join us I would have made more. What I loved about this dish is that you can make it for 1, 2, or as many as you like easily. I made the perfect amount for the two of us and enjoyed every bit of it. I hope you’ll try this. If you don’t have grouper where you are you can sub out Sea Bass or some other mild white fish.
This looks SO good! I don’t eat enough grouper and this is a great reminder! 🙂
It was so tasty and the perfect dinner on a cold night. I prepared everything indoors and it was stellar. I hope you’ll give it a try.
Looks like a wonderful dinner, so colorful too! The fish looks so tender.
This is a wonderful way to serve grouper, Vicki. I love to order it when I see it on a restaurant menu and am thrilled when I see it in the fish counter at the store.