Grouper Basilico e Olio
Baked grouper with basilico e olio topping with tomatoes and Italian seasoning and a tasty layer of toasted salami breadcrumbs to seal in the juices.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- white fish - 2 pounds (grouper, mahi mahi, tilapia, cod or any white fish you like) please note I am feeding hungry teenagers so adjust your amount to normal adult portions.
- tomatoes - ¾ cup sliced tomatoes of choice (I used Malaysian cherry tomatoes but use whatever you like such as heirloom, roma, etc)
- potatoes - 6 white potatoes and sweet potatoes sliced in ¼ inch slices (omit this if low carb/diabetic friendly)
- olive oil - drizzle for top of potatoes about 1 tablespoon
- tuscan seasoning - 1 teaspoon (mixture of roasted garlic, bell peppers, rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley and dried lemon)
- green onions - optional (garnish)
Caramelised Onion Basil pesto
- basil - large bunch fresh (about 1 cup rough chopped)
- flat parsley - small bunch
- garlic - 2 cloves
- onion - 1 small chopped and caramelised on stove top with a little olive oil
- salt and pepper - to taste
- tuscan seasoning - 1 teaspoon (mixture of roasted garlic, bell peppers, rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley and dried lemon)
- olive oil - ¼ cup (just enough to pull ingredients together in the blender and can mix with part water if watching fat intake)
Breadcrumb Topping
- panko breadcrumbs - ¾ cup
- salami - ¼ cup chopped
- tuscan seasoning - 1 teaspoon (mixture of roasted garlic, bell peppers, rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley and dried lemon)
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons (Or just until the breadcrumbs become slightly moist)
- salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees F.
- Make the basil pesto: Chop onions and add a little oil to a pan and cook onions slowly until they become caramelised and sweet. In a blender or food processor, add the caramelised onions, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper and tuscan seasoning. Slowly add oil (water) until pesto turns into a nice paste. Set aside. You can make this up to 3 days in advance. If you are really running short on time you can use the jarred pesto and I won't tell a soul. I just make my own homemade as this way I can make it lactose free and can control the amount of oil I use.
- Prepare the Breadcrumb topping:(Omit this step and go straight to step 4 if you want a gluten free or cardiac friendly option. Omit steps 4 and 5, if you want a diabetic friendly version) Place salami, Tuscan seasoning in a food processor and pulse until mixture is small in size. In a small frying pan, add the salami mixture and breadcrumbs and fry until lightly toasted. Add olive oil just until the breadcrumbs have become slightly moist but not soggy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. You can make this up to 3 days in advance.
- Omit this step if you want a diabetic friendly version. In a baking pan, layer aluminium foil and spray with oil spray just to make for easy cleanup. Place sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. I used both sweet and white skinned potatoes. Drizzle potatoes with a little olive oil and Tuscan seasoning and bake in oven for about 20 minutes until fork tender. Remove pan with baked potatoes out of the oven.
- Place the whitefish on top of the potatoes. If you are going for the diabetic/low carb version just omit the potato step and spray the bottom of your pan with a little spray oil to prevent sticking and place the fish in the pan. Place a few spoonfuls of the basil pesto on top of fish and use back of your spoon to spread it evenly.
- Gluten free/cardiac friendly/diabetic friendly version: slice the tomatoes and green onions and place on top of the fish with pesto and bake for about 10-15 minutes depending of size of fish or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Teenager friendly version: Place a layer of breadcrumbs strategically over the fish to hide any green basil pesto and try to camouflage to the best of your ability that this indeed a fish that had fins. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your filets or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve your delicious Grouper Basilico e Olio with a lovely salad and dinner is served. This is a great dish to serve when hosting a gathering as you make all the toppings in advance, you can adjust for dietary needs of each of your guest and it is cooked in less than 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 4g