Sour Orange Mojo Grouper with Florida Corn and Hearts of Palm Succotash
Gulf grouper fillets get a quick soak in a sour orange mojo, then hit a screaming-hot cast iron for a golden crust and a juicy center. They land on a warm succotash built from Florida sweet corn, briny hearts of palm, and a handful of cherry tomatoes that burst in the pan. It is a full summer plate in about 40 minutes, and it tastes exactly like where we live.
Sour orange mojo grouper over Florida corn and hearts of palm succotash, straight from the cast iron.
There is a bottle of sour orange juice in almost every Cuban and Caribbean kitchen in Southwest Florida, and once you start cooking with it you will understand why. It has a brightness that regular orange juice cannot touch and an edge that lime juice alone does not quite match. Splashed into a quick mojo with garlic and olive oil, it turns a simple grouper fillet into something that genuinely tastes like this part of the state.
Grouper is the Gulf fish we are most proud of down here, and summer is when the local catch is abundant and the price is honest. We pair it with a quick succotash using Florida sweet corn and hearts of palm, which might be the most underused local ingredient on the table. It pulls together fast, looks like you worked all afternoon, and it is the kind of meal that makes sense on a hot July evening. You can read how we raise them here.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
In a shallow dish, whisk together the sour orange juice, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Lay the grouper fillets in the marinade, turn once to coat, and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Do not go longer or the acid will start to cook the fish.
- 2
While the fish marinades, set a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the corn kernels in a single layer. Let them sit undisturbed for 2 minutes so they pick up some color, then stir and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3
Add the hearts of palm coins to the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until lightly golden on the edges. Tumble in the cherry tomatoes, stir everything together, and cook just until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juice, about 2 more minutes. Taste for salt. Slide the succotash onto a platter or divide among four plates and keep warm.
- 4
Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel, return it to high heat, and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Pull the grouper from the marinade and pat the top surface dry with a paper towel (leave the bottom surface as-is for flavor). Lay the fillets dry-side down in the hot pan.
- 5
Cook without moving the fish for 4 minutes, until the crust releases easily from the pan and is deep golden. Flip carefully and cook another 2 to 3 minutes depending on thickness, until the fish is just opaque through the center and flakes gently when pressed. Gulf grouper is lean, so pull it a few seconds early if in doubt.
- 6
Nestle each fillet over the succotash. Spoon any pan juices over the top and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime or sour orange and a scatter of chopped fresh cilantro if you have it. Serve immediately.
Notes from our kitchen
- Sour oranges, called naranja agria, show up at Latin markets across Southwest Florida most of the year. Grab a bag when you see them and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. It is the real backbone of a good mojo.
- Pat the top of the grouper dry before it goes in the pan. The marinade on the skin side bastes the fish as it cooks, but too much moisture on the sear side will steam the crust instead of browning it.
- Hearts of palm from Florida-grown palmetto is available at some specialty stores, but the canned product works beautifully here. Rinse and dry the coins well before they hit the pan so they brown rather than steam.
Common questions
Can I use a different Gulf fish?
Absolutely. Mahi or red snapper both work well with this mojo. Mahi is a little denser and can handle an extra minute on the heat. Snapper is delicate, closer to grouper, so keep the timing the same.
I cannot find sour oranges. What is the best substitute?
Three tablespoons of fresh orange juice and three tablespoons of fresh lime juice gets you close. Some cooks add a tiny splash of white grapefruit juice to sharpen it further. Bottled Goya Naranja Agria also works in a pinch and is stocked at most Florida supermarkets.
Can this be made ahead?
The succotash holds well at room temperature for about an hour, which makes it good for casual outdoor dinners. The fish should be cooked just before serving. You can keep the fillets marinating in the fridge for up to 30 minutes if you need to get ahead.