Delicious Grilled Fish

by Dan Vierria
The Sacramento Bee

Seafood can be fast food: Just eight to 10 minutes on the grill and dinner is served. Seared over an open flame, seafood is nutritious, delicious and low in belt-busting calories. What's not to like?

Today's sophisticated backyard chefs, according to appliance giant Jenn-Air, are more likely to sear swordfish than flip burgers, brats and dogs. Accompanied by a colorful salsa, a red pepper relish or simply draped across a bed of baby greens, grilled seafood is fine dining at home.

Recipes:

N'Awlins Barbecue Shrimp
Tequila Salmon
Spice-Crusted Tuna With Thai-Citrus Dressing
Sally's Salmon Steaks With Fresh Basil Sauce

"For beginners, I'd recommend something like swordfish because it's relatively simple to cook," says Tim Lords, executive chef at Scott's Seafood Grill and Bar in Sacramento, Calif.

Swordfish, with its firm, meat-like texture, should be cooked through yet still be moist when pulled off the grill. Next, try salmon and shrimp, and then tackle ahi, lobster, oysters and more ambitious salsas and marinades.

Some seafood such as perch or flounder has a tendency to fall apart on the grill. It should be cooked in hinged, wire baskets to allow for safe turning. Better yet, reserve them for the frying pan, steamer or oven. Seafood fit for the grill cannot possess a delicate nature.

Bill John, formerly executive chef for Scott's Seafood and now in the same position for the soon-to-open Bistro Biagio, designates swordfish, ahi, ono, spearfish, sturgeon and salmon as fish particularly suitable for grilling. "Swordfish doesn't fall apart," John says. "Grill it on medium-high heat on a well-oiled grill, but not so much oil that it flares up."

To avoid a towering inferno, spray oil onto the fish in a fine mist from a spray bottle before grilling. Or brush oil onto the grates and allow the excess to burn off before grilling fish. Tuna, says John, can be tricky to grill because it sometimes sticks. Salmon, he says, is a terrific fish for the grill.

"The most important thing to keep in mind when grilling seafood is not to overcook it," John says. "Perfectly cooked seafood is moist and flavorful. Overcook it and it becomes dry and tasteless."

How do you know when seafood is done? Seasoned outdoor grilling veterans just know. Everybody else develops a technique.

The standard is to measure the piece of fish at its thickest part and grill 10 minutes per inch (five minutes per side). If the piece is thicker on one end, slice off the thinnest area and grill it separately. Whole fish will require longer cooking times.

If you enjoy fish on the dry side, go with the 10-minute-per-inch rule.

Shave two minutes from the standard cooking time and you're more likely to enjoy a moist and flavorful piece of fish. Remember, fish continues to cook after it's removed from the hot grill. "Fish is done when it begins to turn opaque and just starts to flake when tested with a fork, yet is still moist and juicy," John says.

Shrimp can cook through in two to four minutes on a hot grill. As soon as shrimp begins to flash a reddish hue and the flesh turns milky white, remove immediately or they'll turn into chewing gum. To prevent shrimp from spinning on the skewer, double-skewer them for stability and more even cooking. If you use bamboo skewers, soak them in water for an hour or more to prevent the wood from igniting.

Add a touch of the exotic by spreading shellfish on a hot grill. Oysters, mussels and clams are ready when the shells open. Remove carefully to keep juices in the shells. Discard those that don't open.

Lobster tails are a special treat when infused with smoky grill flavor and brushed with butter. Grill in the shell over medium heat.

Cooking time and results also depend on the method of grilling--indirect heat or direct heat. Placed directly over coals or burners, fish will cook much faster and develop those desirable grill markings. To help prevent fish from falling apart, turn only once.

For longer cooking times, use indirect heat in which seafood is arranged away from the coals. Shut the lid. No turning is required.

Once removed from the grill, seafood becomes a perfect partner for mango salsa, berry compotes, pestos, pasta, steamed rice and any number of other tantalizing side dishes and sauces.

If you marinate seafood and plan to use the marinade later as a sauce atop cooked fish, be sure to boil the liquid a minimum of five minutes to kill any potentially harmful bacteria. Since marinades break down tissue, it's not a good idea to marinate delicate fish more than half an hour. Swordfish and shark can tolerate longer stretches.

Perhaps the most important aspect to grilling seafood is undivided attention. Don't leave the grill or allow yourself to be sidetracked. The reward will be a memorable feast and compliments from your guests.

N'Awlins Barbecue Shrimp

The herbs and spices of this peel-and-eat shrimp taste great on a bed of rice pilaf. And you can forget about being dainty-this one's a finger-lickin' feast. The recipe is from Weber's Big Book of Grilling.

Ingredients:

6 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. turmeric
32 large shrimp (about 1-1/2 lb.), in their shells

Preparation:

First make the marinade. Melt the butter in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft (about two to three minutes). Remove from the heat and add the remaining marinade ingredients. Stir and cool to room temperature.

Using a sharp knife, split open the back of each shrimp and devein it. Place the shrimp in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the shrimp from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill over "direct high" heat until the shrimp are just opaque in the center and firm to the touch (two to four minutes), turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove from the grill and serve warm or at room temperature with rice, if desired.

Prep time: 60 mins.; Cook time: 4 mins.; Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 140 cal.; 12 g pro.; 1 g carb.; 10 g fat (6 sat., 3 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 108 mg chol.; 202 mg sod.; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 63 percent calories from fat.

Tequila Salmon

In this rousing dish, bright citrus and classic seasonings do a hat dance with tequila around firm marinated salmon. This is from Weber's Big Book of Grilling.

Marinade Ingredients:

1/3 cup fresh orange juice
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. tequila
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. minced jalapeno pepper, with seeds
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 salmon fillets (with skin), about 6 oz. each and 1-inch thick

Dressing Ingredients:

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 oz. mixed salad greens (about four handfuls)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided

Preparation:

Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.

Place the salmon fillets in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside until needed.

Remove the fillets from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the salmon, flesh side down, over "direct medium" heat until you can lift the fillets with tongs without them sticking to the grate (about seven to eight minutes). Turn, skin side down, and finish cooking for two to three minutes more. Slide a spatula between the skin and flesh and transfer the fillets to serving plates.

Toss the salad greens, tomatoes, and half of the cilantro in the dressing. Divide the greens among the serving plates, garnish the fillets with the remaining cilantro, and serve.

Prep time: 50 mins.; Cook time: 10 mins.; Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 376 cal.; 35 g pro.; 5 g carb.; 22 g fat (4 sat., 12 monounsat., 6 polyunsat.); 94 mg chol.; 561 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 56 percent calories from fat.

Spice-Crusted Tuna With Thai-Citrus Dressing

This recipe is from Grilling: Where There's Smoke There's Flavor.

Ingredients:

2 lemon grass stalks
1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely sliced
1 Tbs. finely chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. fish sauce
2 Tbs. peanut oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
4 tuna fillets, (about 7 oz. each and 1-inch thick)
1 Tbs. peanut oil
2 Tbs. coriander seeds
2 Tbs. black peppercorns
lime wedges

Essential equipment: long metal spatula for turning fish on the grill

Preparation:

For dressing, remove and discard the tough outer skin from the lemon grass stalks and finely slice. Combine lemon grass, chili, cilantro, fish sauce, oil and lime juice.

Brush fillets on both sides with oil. Crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns. Press crushed seeds on both sides of fillets. Grill over hot coals two minutes per side for rare, three minutes per side for medium rare and four minutes per side for well-done.

Pour dressing over fillets and serve hot or at room temperature with lime wedges.

Think ahead: Coat tuna with spices up to four hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Make dressing up to three hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate.

Prep time: 15 mins.; Cook time: 4-8 mins.; Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 323 cal.; 45 g pro.; 7 g carb.; 13 g fat (3 sat., 6 monounsat., 4 polyunsat.); 93 mg chol.; 771 mg sod.; 2 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 36 percent calories from fat.

Sally's Salmon Steaks With Fresh Basil Sauce

Unlike pesto sauce, which is quite rich and made with Parmesan cheese and pine nuts, this fresh-tasting sauce is made with lots of basil, lemon juice and olive oil. The light and flavorful sauce goes perfectly with some simple grilled salmon. This recipe is from Ainsley Harriott's Barbecue Bible.

Ingredients:

4 salmon steaks (7 oz. each)
1 Tbs. olive oil

Ingredients for Fresh Basil Sauce:

1-1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 Tbs. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Make the sauce. Set aside four sprigs of the basil for a garnish. Remove any large stalks from the remainder and place it into a food processor with the lemon juice and a little salt and pepper. Once the basil has blended to a paste, very slowly pour in the olive oil. Check the sauce for seasoning and set aside.

Brush the salmon steaks on both sides with a little olive oil and season with some salt and black pepper. Grill over medium-hot coals for four to five minutes on each side until golden on the outside but still moist and juicy in the center. Serve with the fresh basil sauce.

Prep time: 10 mins.; Cook time: 10 mins.; Yield: 4 servings

Per serving: 530 cal.; 42 g pro.; 6 g carb.; 36 g fat (6 sat., 22 monounsat., 8 polyunsat.); 109 mg chol.; 383 mg sod.; 4 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 63 percent calories from fat.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service)

Resources
Weber's Big Book of Grilling
by Jamie Purviance, Sandra S. McRae
Chronicle Books, 2001
Order this title from Amazon.com.


Ainsley Harriott's Barbecue Bible
by Ainsley Harriott
DK Publishing, 2000
Order this title from Amazon.com.


Grilling: Where There's Smoke There's Flavor
by by Eric Treuille, Birgit Erath
DK Publishing, 2000
Order this title from Amazon.com.