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To broil: Place the kabobs 4 to 6 inches from the heat and cook until the fish is firm, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once and basting several times with the reserved barbecue sauce. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Walnut Paprika Barbecue Sauce

Makes a little more than 1 cup

¾ cup beer, preferably a wheat or amber beer

¼ cup chopped walnut pieces

2 tablespoons walnut oil

2 tablespoons paprika

1½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Place the beer, walnuts, walnut oil, paprika, sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender or a food processor fitted with the chopping blade; blend or process until smooth.

Variations: Substitute sliced almonds for the walnut pieces and almond oil for the walnut oil.

Reduce the paprika to 1½ tablespoons and add ½ tablespoon hot paprika, or substitute smoked paprika for all the paprika.

Pulled Halibut Cheeks

Enormous halibut cheeks are slightly stringy and can be pulled like classic pulled pork or chicken dishes. Have hamburger buns at the ready. Makes 4 servings

¼ cup hoisin sauce

¼ cup Shaoxing or dry sherry

¼ cup vegetable or fish broth

¼ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

2 teaspoons packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

½ teaspoon Asian red chili sauce

2 garlic cloves, crushed

8 large halibut cheeks

2 tablespoons peanut oil

Stir the hoisin sauce, Shaoxing or sherry, broth, ketchup, vinegar, ginger, brown sugar, five-spice powder, chili sauce, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often; then cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Lay the cheeks in a large baking dish; pour the sauce over them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Remove the cheeks from the marinade; let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium heat.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the cheeks dry, add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, then add the cheeks. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes, shaking the pan almost constantly during the first 30 seconds of cooking to prevent sticking.

Add the remaining oil to the pan, turn the cheeks, and continue cooking until well browned and firm to the touch, about 4 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes.

Shred the cheeks along the natural lines of the meat, using two forks. Add to the barbecue sauce, heat to simmering, and serve at once.

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Whole Fish

A whole fish presented at the table may conjure up images of fine dining, but in truth it’s easy to prepare. Check the ingredient list of individual recipes for the specific fish that are appropriate. Always have your fishmonger clean and scale the fish for you.

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Whole Fish Wrapped in Grape Leaves

Jarred grape leaves protect a whole fish from the heat; they also lend the meat a slightly herbaceous flavor. Makes 4 servings

One 8-ounce jar grape leaves, drained and rinsed

1 small lemon, sliced into paper-thin rings, preferably with a mandoline

One 2½-to 3-pound snapper of any variety: black, striped, or spotted bass; whole large-mouth bass or freshwater bass; any variety of whole drum; or whole parrotfish, orange roughy, ocean perch, tilapia, or sea trout, scaled and cleaned

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for the grill grate

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 parsley sprigs

Butcher’s twine

Lay three quarters of the grape leaves on your work surface, overlapping them to form a compact bed that you will later fold up onto the fish; reserve the other leaves to lay over the fish. Lay 4 lemon slices down the center of the leaves.

Score the fish’s skin three times in parallel, diagonal cuts on each side of the body, cutting down only about ½ inch, not through to the bones. Oil the fish on both sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil; salt and pepper