Good Eating: Grilled Florida Grouper

Chef Michael Bloise from Miami's Tantra Restaurant thinks you will flip over this fish dish!

Grilled Florida Grouper with Warm Artichoke Potato Salad and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 ea Pieces of fresh grouper, approx. 6-7 oz.
I dozen Baby artichokes, cleaned and halved (or canned!)
1 cup White wine
4 cloves Garlic
2 dozen Creamer potatoes
1 ea Red onion, large - cut into ½ inch rings and skewer
2 ea Shallots, peeled and sliced
4 cups Fresh spinach
1 bunch Scallions
1 ea Lemon, halved
1 ea Bay Leaf
1 bunch Basil, fresh of course!

Pesto Sauce
1 cup Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves Garlic
4 Tblspn Pine Nuts
6 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 oz Water

Method:

Artichokes
Clean the artichokes by removing their royal crown-like armor to reveal a golden supple flesh inside. Be certain to remove any of the chewy leaves before and after cooking. Dress with half of the lemon juice and toss to keep the artichokes from browning. In a pot, combine the wine, 4 cloves of garlic, the bay leaf, the other half of lemon, and a good pinch of salt. Bring this liquid to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Add the artichokes, and simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until the artichokes become tender. If you have trouble finding fresh artichokes in your local market, try using the canned artichoke hearts... they'll work just as well!

Potatoes
Take the well-washed potatoes and rub them with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss them in the oven in a pan for about 12 minutes @ 350 degrees. Take them out and quarter them once the cool.

Pesto
Combine the sun-dried tomatoes and the garlic in a blender with the water and ½ of the oil. Blend until almost smooth. Next, add the pine nuts and slowly add the rest of the oil. I find the best consistency for me is when the sauce is a little bit smooth, a little bit chunky... but blend to your own liking. Don't forget to season with a little bit of salt to your taste!

After your grill is ready to go, place your seasoned fish on a medium-hot part of the grill. This is a great time to get those red onions on the grill as well (make sure you give them a little oil as too!)

Get a mixing bowl ready for your potato salad! Add your mayo, scallions, and Dijon to the bowl.

While your fish and onions are cooking, heat up a sauté pan with a little bit of extra virgin, and toss those shallots in there. Next, toss in the potatoes and let them get a little caramelization. Now you can add the artichokes! Next add your spinach and cook JUST UNTIL WILTED. This entire step should take no more than 1 ½ minutes.

Empty the contents of the entire pan into the mixing bowl, add the grilled onions and .... Mix! Place the potato salad in the center of the plate, sauce around it with the pesto, and top it all with that beautiful piece of grilled grouper! Garnish with some fresh basil leaves!