Texas Sport Fish Cook Your Catch | South Padre Island

Cook Your Catch

After a fun day on the water, try one of these restaurants to "Cook your Catch".

Dining Out

Eating in? Try one of our recipes.

Dining In

Orange Mojo Grouper

from Cooters Restaurant & Bar

Ingredients:

Fresh Grouper filets

Peppercorns

1 TBSP Cumin

1 TBSP Fresh Ground Pepper

1 TBSP Grated Orange Peel

1/2 tsp dried oregano (we substituted diced fresh oregano)

(3) 1/2 cups Fresh Orange juice

4 TBSP Rum

1 garlic clove

4 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup Orange Marmalade (we substituted Vela Farms Orange Chili Marmalade)

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 cup small diced sweet red pepper

1 Large navel orange, peeled, sectioned and chopped

1 cup small diced Bermuda onion (we substituted vidalia)

1 large mango, skinned and cubed ( we added to original recipe)

1 cup cubed avocado

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro, divided

Instructions:

In a small bowl , combine the orange peel, oregano, salt, and crushed cumin along with some peppercorns. Sprinkle one TBSP spice mixture over grouper. In a large skillet, cook grouper in oil over medium high heat for 3 minutes or until the fish is light caramel colored on one side. Turn fish over, add 3 cups orange juice, rum, garlic, 1/2 of the cubed mango, and 1 TBSP spice mixture to deglaze the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes longer or until fork tender and flaky, remove and keep warm. Bring liquid in skillet to a boil. Cook until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add 1/4 cup cilantro to sauce. For salsa, combine remaining orange juice, orange marmalade, stir until smooth, add chopped orange, the rest of the cubed mango, onion, avocado, ginger, 1/4 cup cilantro, jalapeño(optional) and remaining spice mixture in small bowl.

Serve salsa with grouper, and rice.

Orange Mojo Grouper from fishing South Padre Island

Southern Fried Snapper with Crabmeat Topping

inspired by Chef Paul Prudhomme

Ingredients for frying the fish:

Fresh snapper filets

1 cup corn flour

1 cup cornmeal

quality blackening seasoning such as Paul Prudhomme's

2 eggs

2 TBSP dijon mustard

1/4 cup milk

vegetable oil

Ingredients for the crabmeat topping:

1 stick butter

1 shallot thinly sliced

blackening seasoning

1/2 pint lump blue crabmeat, de-shelled

8 jumbo shrimp, butterflied

1 cup heavy cream

1-2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions for frying the fish:

Pour vegetable oil to an inch deep in a deep frying pan. Heat on medium-high heat. Mix cornflour, cornmeal, and blackening seasoning (to taste) in a pie plate. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, mustard, and milk till mixed. Dip portion- sized pieces of fish filet in egg mixture, dredge in cornmeal mixture. When oil is heated, fry until golden and crispy. After removing, let drain on paper towels in plate.

Crabmeat topping: While fish is frying

In a separate pan. saute the shallots in the butter on medium heat until translucent. Add blackening seasoning, (to taste), parsley, then cook shrimp in butter/shallot until done (do not overcook). Once shrimp is cooked, gently stir in crabmeat and then heavy cream. When sauce is heated through, plate fish and gently pour sauce over the top.

We served with rice pilaf and fresh green beans.

Blackened Fish Tacos

with Avocado Cilantro Sauce

Ingredients for fish:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. mahi-mahi, tile fish, or snapper filets cut lengthwise or into smaller pieces

1/2 - 1 stick butter

blackening seasoning to taste

1-2 limes

Ingredients for Avocado Cilantro Sauce:

1 cup of Hellman's Mayonnaise

1 large, ripe Avocado

2 TBSP minced cilantro plus more for garnish

1/2 of a lime

Sea Salt (to taste)

Directions for Sauce:

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, scoop out the pit with a spoon and scrape out the avocado. In a small bowl, mash the avocado until smooth and add the mayonnaise and cilantro. Stir until combined. Squeeze the lime juice into the sauce (to taste) and the sea salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. If wanting to add a little heat, a tsp of horseradish or a few dashes of Cholula hot sauce can be stirred in as well.

Directions for pan-blackened fish:

Heat a black cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. While heating, sprinkle blackening seasoning on both sides of fish filets/pieces to taste. Once skillet is hot, add 2-3 tablespoons of butter to skillet, after it melts quickly add fish pieces, cooking 2-3 minutes each side or until done.

You can wrap in corn or flour tortillas. We used small flour tortillas, heated in a skillet on high heat. We garnished with cabbage slaw and mango salsa, topped with a dollop of the Avocado Cilantro Sauce, chopped cilantro, and extra lime wedges. Accompanied with a bowl of black beans and poblano rice.