Gulf Shores Pecan Crusted Grouper with Crawfish Cream Sauce

  • 4 Fresh caught Gag Grouper fillets  (8 to 10 oz)  
  • 1 cup All-purpose flour
  • 4 each egg whites lightly beaten (this is what we call in Gulf Shores an Egg Wash)
  •  4 teaspoons dijon mustard 
  •  1 cup pecan halves chopped fine  (you may use a food processor if you wish)
  • 2 gallon ziplock bags

How To:

Take the Gag Grouper filets and rub gently with the Dijon mustard and lay them on a pan.

Place the cup of flour into one of the zip lock bags.  Place the Gag Grouper Filets in the bag one or two at a time, seal the bag almost completely shut.  Leave about a 1 inch opening on the corner.  Gently blow into the bag until it fills with air and quickly seal the bag.  Shake the Grouper filets around in the flour until coated.  Open the bag and grab filets and shake them gently inside the bag to dust off the excess flour.  Remove from bag and do the other two filets the same way.  Place all 4 Gag Grouper Filets to the side.

Pour the cup of pecan halves into the other ziplock bag. 

In a large bowl, pie pan or tupperware bowl, take the four egg whites  and whip them with a fork until frothy.  Add two filets of Gag Grouper to the bowl of egg wash.  Turn over and wet the other side.  Get the ziploc bag that has the finely chopped pecan halves and place the egg washed, flour coated filets into the bag.  Again. seal the bag with air in it and gently shake and roll the filets around until completely coated with pecan.  Repeat the process on the other two grouper filets.

Place the Gulf Shores Gag Grouper, Pecan Crusted filets on a slightly greased cooking sheet (cooking sheet with an edge is best).    Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Place Grouper filets on the lower rack, uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes.  At 15 minutes, you may stick with a fork to see if desired flakyness is acquired.  If not, let them cook a little longer. 

Warning:  To many people cook fish too long.  Gag Grouper is one of the best eating fish in the Gulf of Mexico and this dish is a delicacy in Gulf Shores, Alabama and is Captain Troy's favorite dish.

Alabama Crawfish Cream Sauce 

  • 1 pound of peeled deveined crawfish tail meat.  (10 to 12 oz will work)
  • 1 medium vidalia onion (yellow will work) chopped fine
  • 1/2 stick of sweet, salted butter
  • 1  tablespoon fresh minced or what we call smashed fresh garlic
  • 1 quart shrimp base or chicken base will work.
  • 1 pint whole whipping cream 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
  • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Use Louisiana Catsup (Tabasco sauce) to taste

In a 3 or 4 quart boiler with high sides, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until almost transparent.  Add mashed garlic and stir for about 4 or 5 minutes.  Add chicken base and a 1/2 cup of water and bring to a slight boil.  Add cayenne pepper, worchestershire sauce, salt, pepper and a dash of tabasco sauce.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add whipping cream.  On low heat, let this sauce reduce and thicken a bit.  It is not a real thick sauce like a gravy.  It flows well and should stick to a spoon very well.

Serve the Grouper filets with a heaping ladel ful of crawfish cream sauce.  This dish serves 4 adults or 2 extremely hungry deep sea fishermen.