Mastering the Grill_ The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking - Andrew Schloss [126]
5. Serve the fillets with the vinaigrette spooned over the top.
Grilled Flounder Escabèche
Escabèche originated in Spain as a way of preserving fish. The marinade serves as a sort of pickle. Popular in Provence, Mexico, and Jamaica, escabèche can be served cold, warm, or at room temperature. We give this escabèche a more traditional Spanish treatment by grilling a mild white fillet and marinating it in Spanish adobo, a pungent blend of paprika, orange juice, vinegar, red wine, and green olives.
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes (plus 5 minutes for marinade)
Marinate: 2 to 24 hoursG
Grill: 4 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Fish grilling basket
MAKING SUBSTITUTIONS
• Replace the flounder with any mild white fish fillets, such as sole, turbot, or dab.
* * *
THE GRILL
Gas:
Direct heat, medium-high (450°F)
Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal:
Direct heat, light ash
12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)
Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting
Wood:
Direct heat, light ash
12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep
Clean, oiled grate set 2 inches above the fire
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)
1½ pounds flounder fillets, about ¼ inch thick
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1¼ cups Spanish Adobo Marinade (page 356)
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Oil for coating grill grate and fish basket
2 tablespoons olive oil
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the grill as directed. Preheat the fish grilling basket on the grill.
2. Pat the fish dry and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Put the marinade, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Coat the hot fish basket with oil and put the fillets in the basket. Put the basket on the grill, cover, and cook until the fish is just slightly filmy and moist in the center, about 2 minutes per side. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 450°F.
5. Put the fillets in a wide, shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade mixture over them, drizzle with the olive oil, and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Serve chilled, or bring to room temperature before serving.
Fennel-Brined Trout Grilled with Bacon and Herbs
Brine doesn’t just add moisture. As meat takes in liquid it also takes on flavor, making brining one of the most efficient ways to get the essence of herbs and spices deep into the interior of meat. This trout is a case in point; its flesh is permeated with the classic Provençal combination of orange and fennel. Be careful to limit the brining time to no more than 1 hour. The delicate flesh of trout quickly absorbs flavors and may get overpowered if left to brine any longer.
TIMING
Prep: 10 minutes
Brine: 1 hour
Grill: 12 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Long-handled spatula or oiled grill basket
GETTING CREATIVE
• Try this recipe with boneless chicken breasts: Place the herbs on the outside of the chicken breasts and hold them in place with the slices of bacon.
• A thick salmon fillet can be cooked in the same way.
• Replace the orange juice with pineapple juice, or add other citrus juices. A few tablespoons of lemon or lime juice will intensify the flavor of the brine.
• Change the flavor of the brine to suit your taste: substitute minced ginger, cumin seed, coriander seed, or cardamom for the fennel.
• Vary the herbs to match the flavor in your brine. Tarragon tastes great with pineapple juice; cilantro is good with lime.
TIPS
• The amount of time needed for brining is approximate and can be adjusted