How to Make Pecan Crusted Fish
Experience a delightful fusion of flavors with our pecan-crusted fish paired perfectly with a zesty remoulade sauce. This dish marries fresh fish’s rich, buttery texture with a crispy, nutty pecan crust, offering a satisfying crunch with every bite.
The remoulade sauce, a tangy blend of mayonnaise, mustard, capers, and herbs, complements the pecan crust’s subtle sweetness, adding vibrant, creamy goodness. Perfect for a gourmet dinner at home or a special occasion, this dish is as impressive as it is delicious.
Each element is crafted to highlight the ingredients’ natural flavors, ensuring a memorable dining experience that will leave your taste buds craving more. Whether you’re a seasoned seafood lover or exploring new culinary horizons, our pecan-crusted fish with remoulade sauce will surely delight and inspire you. Enjoy this exquisite combination that brings a touch of elegance and a burst of flavor to your table.
Why Add a Crust to Fish Before Cooking?
Adding a crust to fish before cooking offers several benefits, enhancing both the culinary experience and the nutritional value of the dish:
- Texture Contrast: A crust provides a delightful contrast to the tender, flaky texture of the fish. This textural variety makes each bite more interesting and satisfying.
- Flavor Enhancement: The crust can be seasoned with herbs, spices, and other flavorful ingredients. As it cooks, the crust imparts these flavors to the fish, enhancing its taste.
- Moisture Retention: A crust is a barrier that helps retain moisture within the fish, preventing it from drying out during cooking. This results in a juicier, more succulent final product.
- Aesthetic Appeal: A well-prepared crust can make the dish more visually appealing. The golden, crispy exterior provides an appetizing contrast to the fish’s white flesh.
- Nutritional Boost: A crust can add nutritional value depending on the ingredients used. For example, a pecan crust adds healthy fats, protein, and fiber, while an herb crust can contribute vitamins and minerals.
- Versatility: Crusting allows for creativity in the kitchen. You can experiment with different ingredients like nuts, breadcrumbs, herbs, and spices to create unique flavor profiles that suit your taste.
Adding a crust to fish before cooking elevates the dish, making it more flavorful, texturally appealing, and nutritious.
Remoulade Sauce
Remoulade sauce is a flavorful, creamy condiment originating from France. It is typically made from a base of mayonnaise. It is enriched with various ingredients, including mustard, capers, gherkins or pickles, herbs (such as tarragon and parsley), anchovies, and sometimes horseradish.
The sauce has a tangy, slightly spicy taste and can be adapted with different seasonings to suit various culinary traditions. In Louisiana cuisine, for example, remoulade often includes Creole mustard, paprika, and hot sauce, giving it a distinctive, bold flavor.
Remoulade is commonly served with seafood, particularly with fried fish or shrimp, but it also pairs well with meats, sandwiches, and vegetables, adding a zesty and robust flavor to dishes. For this dish, I used grouper, and you can find the recipe for Remoulade Sauce here.
Simple Pecan Crusted Fish with Remoulade Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 fillets grouper cut about 1 inch thick
- ½ cup butter melted, plus an extra tablespoon
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 tablespoon oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon cut up into 4 wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Start by preparing the Remoulade Sauce as described in my post.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a food processor or blender, grind the pecans into the size of breadcrumbs and reserve.
- It's always a good idea to rinse off any fresh fish you purchase at the market and it is just as important to dry it thoroughly before cooking. If the fish is not dry, there is the possibility of steaming rather than frying it.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Dredge the fish fillets in the melted butter and coat them with the ground pecans. An easy way to do this is to use a plate or one of those rectangular storage containers. Be sure to coat both sides.
- Pre-heat a fry pan large enough to hold all the fillets and able to go into the oven. If you don't have one large enough, you can cook them in batches and use a sheet pan to finish in the oven.
- Once the pan is hot, add the tablespoon of butter and the tablespoon of oil and as soon as the butter begins to sizzle, add the fish and cook about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the fry pan to the oven and finish cooking for about 8 minutes in the oven.
- Transfer the fillets to plates along with your side dishes and lemon wedges. You can serve the remoulade sauce on the side or as I did, right on the fish. I served my grouper with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts.
One Response
This dish was absolutely wonderful. I was raised and now live in Louisiana and this dish reminds me of my home. We have the best pecans and remoulade sauce that one can imagine. II served it with roasted merlitons a native Louisiana vegetable (similar to a hard squash). In any case what a great dish, thanks bunches…..