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The Florida Vacation Sandwich

Source of Recipe

From "Half Baked Harvest Every Day" by Tieghan Gerard


Recipe Introduction

"You know the dishes you get only while on vacation? The ones you look forward to every year when you visit your favorite spot in your favorite getaway town? Well, my cousin Maggie's family has been visiting Naples, Florida, since she was a kid. One of the restaurants they always hit up is Buzz's Lighthouse. The grouper sandwich on their menu is famous, and when she told me about it, I knew I had to create my own version. They do theirs with American cheese, coleslaw, fried or blackened grouper, Thousand Island dressing, and rye bread. Mine is a bit different, but oh so good. I opted for slightly spicy pepper Jack cheese, a homemade coleslaw, and my spicy honey mustard sauce to complement the delicious pan-seared grouper. It's easy to make at home, but the outcome is top-notch restaurant quality. You might even feel like you're on vacation. To get the real experience of this sandwich, Maggie says you have to add a side of fries and pickles. No problem!"

List of Ingredients

Slaw:
â—¦ 1 (14-ounce) bag coleslaw mix
â—¦ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
â—¦ 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, smooth or grainy
â—¦ 1 tablespoon raw honey
â—¦ Fine pink Himalayan salt

Sandwiches:
â—¦ 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
â—¦ 2 teaspoons chili powder
â—¦ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
â—¦ 2 teaspoons dried thyme
â—¦ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
â—¦ 1 teaspoon onion powder
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
â—¦ Fine pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 4 (6-ounce) grouper fillets
â—¦ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 8 slices rye bread
â—¦ 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
â—¦ Thousand Island dressing
â—¦ 2 slices pepper Jack cheese
â—¦ 2 slices sharp cheddar


Recipe

Make the slaw. In a medium bowl, toss the coleslaw mix with the vinegar, mustard, honey, and a generous pinch of salt. Let the slaw sit while you prepare the sandwich, or cover and refrigerate it for better flavor—the longer it sits, the stronger the flavor will become.

Make the sandwiches. In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, chili powder, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the grouper.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the fish and cook until opaque and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a plate.

Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. Spread the other side of each slice with the Thousand Island dressing, then add ½ slice of each cheese on top of four of the bread slices. Layer on the slaw and one fish fillet on top of each slice of cheese. Top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side up.

Wipe out the skillet from the fish and return it to medium-low heat. Add two of the sandwiches to the skillet and cook until the bread is golden and the cheese is a bit melty, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining two sandwiches. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board, halve, and serve warm.

Makes 4 sandwiches