The smooth sweetness of butter combined with the bite of balsamic vinegar sets off the naturally mild taste of grouper. The most important part of this recipe is what comes first — the grouper. You can buy grouper a lot of places, but what you don’t often get is fresh grouper. And that makes all the difference. We whipped this up with some fresh Apalachicola gag grouper from the Panhandle and delicious is an understatement.

Gag grouper is gray in color when caught and is often confused with black grouper. While they can be found in the Atlantic as far south as Brazil, gag grouper spawn off the west coast of Florida — which makes Apalachicola a prime area for these mild and flaky fish. They can get big — nearly five feet long and 300 pounds —  and it takes some muscle to crank one up from the bottom. The reward, however, is gastronomical. Even the pickiest eater in your school will love this recipe. Serve with some Basmati rice and your favorite veggie. It’s quick, easy and outstanding!