Grilling Fish Techniques and Recipies

6 tips for turning out moist, tasty fillets
If you have shied away from grilling fish, now is the time to put the fear aside.Here are six great grilling tips for fish:Trust your eyes Fish are done when the flesh becomes opaque but is still moist,Too often, people mistake that moistness for raw wetness, and keep fish on the heat too long. Residual heat will continue cooking fish a minute or two after you remove it from the grill.If you think the fish is ready, cut into it at the thickest point. Salmon will have lost its orange gloss and be pink but moist-looking. Tuna can be cooked rare (dark pink, almost red in the center, with just a seared outside), medium rare (a thick band of pink in the center) or medium (slightly pink). Scrod or other white, flaky fish will be opaque white, slightly moist-looking and flake easily in largish pieces. If overcooked, flesh will be dry and crumbly.
Know your grill
Gas grills provide more even heat, fewer "hot spots."Charcoal grills' heat can be erratic, but experience and observing the cooking process, moving the fish around on the grill to cook evenly, can solve that problem.
Invest in useful gadgets
Grill woks (which have sloping sides) and flat grill plates, both of which are perforated, provide a more stable surface than a regular wire grill. Hinged, or clamshell, grill baskets hold flaky fish firmly and allow it to be turned without danger of the flesh flaking apart.
Baskets hold several rows of shrimp or scallops securely, and allow turning many pieces of fish all at once, with a long, cool handle, rather than one at a time over the hot fire.
Keep it clean
Keep all grilling surfaces scrupulously clean with a wire brush and a grill scraper. Clean grilling surfaces, and spray with non-stick cooking oil before adding fish, to prevent sticking and breaking apart of flesh.
Enhance flavor
Experiment with marinades to boost flavor before grilling. Keep in mind that long marinating of meat will tenderize tough cuts, but you marinate fish only to enhance flavor. If you marinate fish all day in a soy-based marinade, all you will taste is salt. If you let fish sit in a citrus marinade for a couple of hours, you get ceviche. Fish is spongy and absorbs flavors easily."Limit time in soy marinades to one to three hours and citrus marinades to 30 to 45 minutes. Often, all you need to do is brush fish with a flavored oil.
Experiment with flavored butters, mayonnaises, sauces and salsas as a flavor garnish after fish is grilled:Herbed butters are very easy to whip together and last indefinitely in the freezer, to be pulled out at the last minute. Summer fruit salsas require some time to peel and dice but otherwise are easy to concoct.
Know your fish to know how to grill it
Oily fish: bluefish, mackerel. Flesh is dense and takes well to high-heat grilling. But flavor is strong and texture is firm. Citrus marinades work well to offset strong taste and soften texture. Oily fish go off quickly, so freshness is a must.
Firm fish: salmon, tuna, swordfish, mahi-mahi, tilapia. Easiest to grill for the novice, especially tuna steaks because doneness can be controlled by observing change in interior color, much like beef. Skin-on salmon is also good, because the flesh holds together well.Flaky-fleshed fish: cod, scrod, halibut. Best to grill on a grill plate, or in a clamshell basket, which holds flesh together and is easy to flip. Covering grill with foil and poking holes will help make a firmer surface but will reduce the smoky flavor of charcoal reaching the fish.
Shellfish: scallops, shrimp. Both cook quickly. Shrimp changes color as it cooks, indicating doneness, and takes well to marinades and sauces. Scallops should be "dry" scallops, not treated with preservatives such as tripolyphosphates, which leach the sweet taste out and prevents scallops from browning. Dry scallops brown attractively on the grill and are easy to visually judge doneness.
Recipies

Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas
2 teaspoons olive oil2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced3 green onions, finely sliced1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removedSalt and pepper, to taste4 (10-inch) flour tortillas1 cup roasted tomatoes4 ounces shredded cheeseFresh basil, choppedTo roast tomatoes: Cut out cores, but leave skins on. Cut tomatoes into wedges, coat generously with olive oil and garlic. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning blend, and roast in 400-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft, wrinkled and collapsed-looking. About 8 tomatoes are needed.To make shrimp tortillas: Heat olive oil in skillet and saute garlic and green onions over medium-high heat until softened, 2 or 3 minutes. Set aside. Brush shrimp with olive oil mixture and grill in a grill basket, grill wok or on double skewers until cooked through, about 1 minute each side. Add to the skillet with onion mixture and toss. Add salt and pepper, to taste.Heat tortillas briefly on the grill to soften. Divide the grilled shrimp among the tortillas, top evenly with roasted tomatoes, shredded cheese and chopped basil. Fold in half, pressing edges to seal. Place on hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes to melt cheese and brown the tortillas. Cut each quesadilla into 2 pieces and serve immediately.Makes 8 servings.
Approximate values per serving: 191 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 86 mg cholesterol, 22 g carbohydrates, 15 g protein, 260 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 24 percent of calories from fat.
Grilled Salmon With Tropical Salsa
Salmon1 side of fresh salmon, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds 1/4 cup olive oil3 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed or very finely minced 1/4 cup maple syrupSalsa1 mango, peeled and cubed1 papaya, peeled and cubed1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and dicedJuice of 1 lemon 1/2 cantaloupe, seeds removed and chopped1 ripe tomato, seeds removed and chopped1 small sweet yellow or red onion2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other fruit liqueur2 tablespoons chopped mint2 tablespoons chopped basil1 pint fresh strawberriesTo make salsa: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except strawberries. Chill until time to serve. When ready to serve, slice strawberries and add to mixture. To cook the salmon: Brush the grill grate with oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray; heat grill to high.Combine olive oil and garlic. Brush salmon generously with oil and garlic mixture. Place salmon, flesh-side down, directly on the grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes and turn. After turning, brush salmon with maple syrup. Continue cooking on skin side until done - time will vary with thickness of fish. Fish is done when flesh is opaque but still moist. Finish salmon with final glaze of maple syrup. Serve garnished with tropical salsa.Makes 6 servings.
Approximate values per serving: 496 calories, 17 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 118 mg cholesterol, 35 g carbohydrates, 47 g protein, 164 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 31 percent of calories from fat.
Grilled Tuna With Wasabi-Lime Soy Vinaigrette
4 yellowfin tuna steaks, sushi grade4 tablespoons light soy sauceSalt and pepper, to tasteVinaigrette3 tablespoons light soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste or horseradish1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice1 tablespoon mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) 1/4 cup vegetable oilSalad1 pound baby greens or mesclunBean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts for garnishCover the tuna steaks with soy sauce and let stand until ready to cook, but no longer than 1 hour.Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Taste, adjust seasonings and set aside. Season tuna steaks with freshly ground pepper and salt.Heat grill to high heat. Cook tuna quickly so the outside browns and the inside remains a reddish-pink - about 1 to 2 minutes per side, depending on thickness of tuna. Transfer tuna to cutting board and slice thinly.Divide the greens among four plates. Arrange sliced tuna in a fan pattern over the greens and drizzle with wasabi-lime vinaigrette. Garnish with sprouts.Makes 4 servings.
Approximate values per serving: 343 calories, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 77 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 43 g protein, 1,128 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 39 percent of calories from fat.