Puerto Rican FoodPilón-Seasoned Grouper with Mashed Sweet Potato and White Beans in Coconut Sofrito
An original Puerto Rican dish featuring grouper fillets seasoned in a pilón with garlic, culantro, and citrus, seared until juicy, served over rustic mashed sweet potato and paired with white beans simmered in a gentle coconut sofrito with sweet peppers.
Ingredients
- 680 g grouper fillets (cut en 4 porciones)
- 18 g garlic (divided, machacado)
- 12 g culantro leaves (chopped)
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g ground cumin
- 8 g salt (divided)
- 2 g black pepper (divided)
- 45 ml olive oil (divided)
- 60 ml orange juice (fresh)
- 30 ml lime juice (fresh, divided)
- 900 g sweet potatoes (peladas and cut diced)
- 30 g butter
- 80 ml milk (whole or al 2%)
- 150 g white onion (chopped, divided)
- 90 g sweet peppers (chopped)
- 80 g cubanelle pepper (chopped)
- 8 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 30 g tomato paste
- 240 ml coconut milk
- 430 g cooked white beans (escurridas)
- 40 g green olives (slices)
- 1 unit bay leaf
- 120 ml vegetable broth or water
- 5 ml apple cider vinegar
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. In a pilón or mortar, mash 4 garlic cloves with the culantro, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the orange juice, and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice until a moist paste forms.
- 2
2. Pat the grouper fillets dry and rub them with the pilón paste. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest.
- 3
3. Place the sweet potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium heat, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender. Drain well.
- 4
4. Return the sweet potatoes to the hot pot, add the butter, milk, remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, and a pinch of black pepper. Mash until rustic and creamy. Cover and keep warm.
- 5
5. In a medium skillet or caldero, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté half of the onion, the sweet peppers, cubanelle pepper, 2 garlic cloves, and cilantro for 4 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and softened.
- 6
6. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk, white beans, green olives, bay leaf, vegetable broth or water, apple cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove the bay leaf.
- 7
7. While the beans simmer, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- 8
8. Place the grouper fillets in the skillet over the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork. If you prefer to finish the fish in the oven, transfer the oven-safe skillet and bake at 400 °F / 200 °C for 4 to 5 minutes.
- 9
9. Taste the beans and mashed sweet potatoes, adjusting salt and pepper if needed.
- 10
10. Serve a bed of mashed sweet potato on each plate, top with a grouper fillet, and spoon the coconut sofrito white beans alongside. Finish with the pan juices and a little of the sautéed onion on top.
Chef tips
For deeper flavor, let the fish marinate for up to 30 minutes, but no longer so the citrus does not alter the texture too much. Keep the mash rustic rather than perfectly smooth for contrast with the creamy bean sauce.
Substitutions
You can substitute the grouper with red snapper, sea bass, or thick-cut tilapia. Culantro can be replaced with extra cilantro plus a little parsley if unavailable. For a dairy-free version, use plant-based butter and unsweetened coconut beverage instead of butter and milk.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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