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1
Cook the Sauce Vegetables
5 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Heat half the 30g of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the 100g of onion, 150g of red bell pepper, 300g of tomatoes and 12g of garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables have softened and the tomato juices are running.
Do not let the garlic brown — it turns bitter. If the pan looks dry, add a spoonful of water.
Done when: Vegetables soft; tomato juices released.
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2
Blend the Sauce Smooth
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Tip the cooked vegetables into a blender with the 60ml of red wine, the 30g of cherry peppers, the 1g of dried thyme and the bay leaf. Blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute, then pour the sauce back into the pan and keep it warm over low heat.
Hold the blender lid down with a folded towel — hot sauce can push the lid off. Blend in two batches if your blender is small.
Done when: Sauce smooth, deep red, and pourable.
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3
Sear the Grouper
5 Mins
Medium-high heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Wipe the pan if needed, then heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the 4 seasoned grouper portions in the pan and sear for about 2 minutes on the first side without moving them, then turn once and sear 1 minute more. The fish will not be cooked through yet — it finishes in the sauce.
Do not move the fish while it sears. It releases from the pan on its own once a crust has formed; forcing it tears the fillet.
Done when: Golden on the first side; lightly coloured on the second.
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4
Simmer the Fish in the Sauce
10 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Pour the blended sauce around the fish in the pan, surrounding the fillets but not covering their tops. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish reaches 63°C (145°F) inside and flakes easily with a fork. Stir in the 40g of sliced olives in the last 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Keep the simmer gentle — a hard boil will break the fillets apart. If the sauce looks thick, add a splash of hot water.
Done when: Fish flakes easily; internal temperature 63°C (145°F); sauce glossy.
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5
Rest and Serve over Rice
5 Mins
Serve hot, about 65°C (150°F)
Take the pan off the heat and rest for 2 minutes. Lift each fillet onto a mound of steamed white rice with a wide spatula, spoon the sauce around it, and scatter the 8g of chopped cilantro over the top. Serve at once.
Lift the fish with a wide spatula and support it from underneath — a cooked fillet in sauce is fragile and will break if you grab it with tongs.
Done when: Fish intact on the rice; sauce spooned around; cilantro bright green.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Lift each fillet onto white rice, spoon the glossy tomato-pepper sauce around it, and finish with the sliced olives and chopped cilantro while the dish is still steaming.
Venezuela
3h
