Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [128]
INGREDIENTS:
1½ pounds bluefish fillet, about 1½ inches thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup Grilled Tomato Oil
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, 425°F.
Remove the pin bones from the bluefish (see Know-How, right) and coat with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Brush the grill grate and rub with oil. Put the fish on the grill, flesh-side down. Close the lid and grill until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip the fish onto its skin side. Brush the flesh with the glaze, close the lid, and grill until the fish looks opaque on the surface, but is still filmy and moist in the center (135°F on an instant-read thermometer), 8 to 10 minutes more.
Slide a wide spatula between the fish and the skin and lift the fish onto a serving platter and serve. (Leave the skin on the grill and discard later, before cleaning the grill.)
KNOW-HOW: REMOVING PIN BONES FROM FISH FILLETS
Filleted fish contains a line of small bones, called pin bones, running lengthwise down the center of each fillet. Pin bones are easily removed either by pulling them out with needle-nose pliers (pull toward the wide end of the fillet), or by making a slit on either side of the line of bones with a small boning knife and then pulling the bones out in a single strip.
RICH, COLORED FISH STEAK
Whole Trout Stuffed with Pickled Ginger and Chives
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
We brine this trout in green tea because scientists in Japan have found that green tea counteracts strong fishy aromas.
INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless brook trout or rainbow trout (about 6 ounces each)
2 cups Green Tea Brine
¼ cup pickled (sushi) ginger, chopped
8 fresh chives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
DIRECTIONS:
The trout will be split down their bellies; open them up like a book to expose the interior to the brine. Combine the fish and brine in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, press out the air, and seal. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Mix together the pickled ginger and chives in a small bowl.
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 425°F.
Remove the fish from the brine and discard the brine. Fill the fish cavities with the ginger mixture, and close the fish. Pat the fish skin with paper towels until dry, and rub with the oil.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Put the fish on the grill, close the lid, and grill until the skin is crisp and the fish looks opaque on the surface, but is still filmy and moist in the center (130°F on an instant-read thermometer), 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Mix the soy sauce, lemon juice, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Put the fish on a serving platter and drizzle with the soy mixture. Serve immediately.
RICH, COLORED FISH STEAK
Cracked Black Pepper–Crusted Swordfish with Lime
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
The overfishing of swordfish during the 1990s sparked the first widespread public ban on harvesting or consuming a particular fish. It was the starting point in raising consumer consciousness about the sustainability of wild fishing. Since then swordfish populations have increased, and the Monterey Aquarium Seafood Watch now lists most varieties of swordfish as a best or good choice. Swordfish meat is very firm and pale beige in color. Virtually all of it is cut into steaks and skinned (the skin is tough and inedible). It is one of the easiest fish to grill because it doesn’t stick, and it is difficult to overcook. Look for fish with glistening flesh and tight swirls. An open muscle structure is an indication that the fish is starting to dry out.
INGREDIENTS:
2½ cups Lemon–Black Pepper Brine
1½ pounds swordfish steaks, ¾ to 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons