Lauren Cartwright, 34, a mother of two is excited that her family will soon be eating fresh Nassau Grouper, as the annual 75-day ban comes to an end on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
Since the second week of December, Cartwright and her daughters have been missing the "sweet taste" of the fish, which it was illegal to catch from Dec. 15, and they prefer to eat only freshly caught fish.
"We live on Long Island, and my husband is a fisherman, so when we eat fish it's usually caught by him and fresh. But since the grouper season closed, we have not had any grouper since," she said.
"I know it sounds strange but my youngest daughter Mia is very picky about what she eats, and the only fish that she really eats is the grouper. So she's super excited to be eating her favorite fish again," says Cartwright.
Mia, Ashley and their mother are in for a treat, because come tomorrow, her husband and other fishermen will be out to sea to collect the expensive meat.
The Nassau Grouper season closed from December 15 to February 28, in order to allow the Nassau Grouper to reproduce. As the ban has now been lifted, everyone, including the local chefs couldn't be happier.
"The majority of people love grouper because it takes seasoning so well," says Old Bahama Bay executive chef Basil Dean. "And its also the prefect fish to prepare because it's so versatile.
"But one thing to remember though is that it only takes about 40 minutes to cook. So you have make sure you check it while it cooks. Also note that grouper is usually clear when it's raw and opaque when done. And when it's done, you should be able to prick it with a fork and it will flake."
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*Baked Grouper with Chunky Tomato Sauce
Serves: 4
3 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomato (about 4 medium)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon capers
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (6-ounce) grouper fillets
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 10 ingredients in a medium bowl.
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Place fish, skin sides up, in pan; cook 2 minutes. Turn fish over; top with tomato mixture. Bring to a boil. Place pan in oven; bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Provided by Chef Basil Dean
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Grilled Grouper
Serves: 2
1 lb grouper fillet, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 sweet pepper
1 tomato
1 large onion
2 ounces lime luice
1/2 goat pepper
1/2 lb butter
1 table spoon garlic salt
Using foil paper doubled up; put all of the ingredients into foil and place on the grill for 12 minutes.
Provided by CoCo-Nuts Bahama Grill
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*Boiled fish
Serves: 4
2 lbs. grouper
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons hot sauce
Juice of 2 lemons, limes or sour oranges
2 onions, sliced
4 potatoes sliced
Place cleaned and washed fish in cooking pot and 3/4 cover with water. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, butter or margarine, hot sauce and lemon juice. Place onions on top of fish and cook over medium heat until fish is tender. Do not cook fish too long for it may fall apart.
Provided by Bahama Gateway.com
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*Abaco Baked Grouper
1 grouper fillet seasoned with pepper and lime
1 tomato, chopped
1 onion, minced
1 green pepper. chopped
1 tablespoons oil
Cook all but fish until tender. Place fillet in greased baking dish-cover with vegetables and place in foil. Bake at 350 degrees until fish is flaky.
Provided by Bahama Gateway.com
