Corn Grouper with Sea Island Red Pea Succotash, Carolina Gold Rice Middlins and Fresh Herb Puree

Ingredients

• 1-8oz Fresh Grouper

Sea Island Red Peas

• 2cups Sea Island Red Peas
• 4 cups water
• 1tbsp Salt
• 1 Smoked Ham hock

Soak peas for one hour. Discard water, add enough water to cover peas. Add smoked ham hock and cook until tender but still firm. Drain and set aside

Sea Island Red Pea Succotash

• 2 cups of cooked Red peas
• 2oz of bacon or pork belly
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh Thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 8oz IPA
• 2 cups vegetable stock or water
• ½ cup fresh corn
• Salt and Pepper

Sauté bacon or pork belly until crispy.
Add onions, peppers, garlic and sauté until you start to smell the garlic. Add beer and reduce by half. Add cooked peas, corn(if you are using frozen or canned corn, add it at the end), water, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often.
Taste and adjust salt. It is important to add salt at the very end as the components are salty and if you salt too soon it can end up salty.

Herb Puree

• 1cup tightly packed herbs (basil, cilantro, green onions, parsley. You can use what you like but bright herbs like basil work best with the earthy peas and seafood)
• ¼ tsp grated garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to boil, have a bowl of ice water ready. Add herbs for 30 seconds, transfer to ice water until cold. Drain and save ¼ cup water.
Add herbs, garlic and salt to blender and puree until smooth. Drizzle in olive oil like you were making a dressing

Rice Middlins

• 1 cup Carolina Gold Rice middlins
•   Soak for 30 minutes. Rinse until water is clear.
• Add 2 cups water, bay leaf and 1 tsp salt

Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered tightly for 10-12 minutes. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes. Add butter, 2tbsp heavy cream and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. It will be consistency of risotto.

Assemble Dish

Season grouper with salt, pepper and dust with cornmeal.

Saute in olive oil or avocado oil (it has a higher smoke point so you can get a good sear) until gold brown, reduce heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip the grouper and cook for 4-5 minutes until flesh flakes easily. Set aside to drain.

Spoon a good portion of the middlin’s(we also call it redneck risotto!) and some succotash on a plate. Top with the grouper and put a tbsp or the herb puree to the side. 

Cornbread is a good side!!