Whole Grilled Fish Food

GRILLED WHOLE FISH

Steps:

• Preheat grill for direct-heat grilling over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, drizzle cavity of each fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season generously with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Aromatics help keep whole fish moist while grilling. Stuff 1 fish cavity with lemon slices and dill and the other with lime slices, basil, and Thai chiles. If using just 1 filling, double amounts called for.
• Fasten each opening with a wooden skewer or toothpicks that have been soaked in water so they don't burn. This keeps the aromatics inside and also makes fish easier to handle on the grill.
• Using a paring knife, make long, 1/4-inch-deep diagonal slashes at 2-inch intervals on both sides of fish so they cook evenly throughout. This also allows any seasonings on skin (see step 5) to penetrate.
• Rub both sides of each fish with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper, working all into slashes as well as heads and tails -- both are edible, and the tail becomes delightfully crisp when grilled.
• Brush hot grill with vegetable oil; immediately place fish on grill. Cook, undisturbed and uncovered, until undersides are charred and flesh along gills on undersides turns opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Turn fish with 2 large spatulas. If they stick, wait a few seconds until skin sears enough to release cleanly. Grill on other side until charred and fish are just cooked through and opaque, 5 to 7 minutes more.
• Serve fish with lemon and lime wedges and more herbs. To serve, cut fillet free from top side of fish and remove with a spatula. Remove bones to free other fillet.

GRILLED WHOLE BRANZINO

Steps:

• For the Salmoriglio sauce: Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil in a medium bowl. Add garlic, capers, herbs and lemon zest. The sauce should be loose in consistency with high-acid flavor. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• For the fish: Preheat the grill for cooking over high heat (around 450 to 500 degrees F).
• Bring fish to room temperature, 30 minutes, then wrap fish briefly in paper towels to dry out skin, which will help keep the fish from sticking to the grill.
• Stuff the inside cavity of the fish with herbs, garlic and lemon slices, and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Brush the outside of the fish with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush a fish grill basket with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place fish in fish grill basket and secure shut. (If you don't have a fish grill basket, place the fish between 2 wire cooling racks and secure the racks together with wire.)
• Place basket on the hottest part of the grill. Cook until the eye turns white and skin is charred, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Let rest 5 minutes.
• Place fish on a platter and dress with the Salmoriglio sauce.

GRILLED STUFFED WHOLE SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
• Rub the fish all over with the tomato bouillon, pepper and garlic. Stuff the fish cavities with the lemon slices, tomato slices and herbs. Add the fish to the grill and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 6 to 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and serve.

WHOLE GRILLED FIESTA FISH

Steps:

• Add the cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, orange zest, lime zest, lemon zest, grapefruit zest, orange juice, oil, lime juice, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, agave, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper to a large re-sealable plastic bag and mix well.
• Add the fish and turn to coat, allowing the marinade to get inside the fish as well. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes, flip over and refrigerate 15 minutes more.
• Preheat the grill to a low heat setting. Using a paper towel, rub the grill grates liberally with the canola oil 7 to 10 times.
• Remove the fish from the marinade and stuff the cavity with the lemon slices, if using, and a couple tablespoons of the marinade and place on the hot grill. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, carefully turn over using a fish spatula and cook for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fish is flaky.
• While the fish is cooking, place the lemon halves cut-side down on the grill until lightly charred.
• Remove from the grill and cut the meat from the bones. Serve the fish with grilled lemons squeezed over top.

GRILLED WHOLE FISH, GREEK-STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high.
• Rinse the fish well under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season the fish all over inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brush each fish generously with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and place directly on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally and coating with more olive oil if necessary, until flesh flakes easily and fish is cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Place fish on a platter. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine remaining olive oil with the lemon juice, parsley, and oregano. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve fish drizzled with the olive oil-lemon mixture.

WHOLE GRILLED PARROT FISH

Steps:

• Preheat the grill.
• Place a large piece of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place 1 ti leaf on top, followed by the fish. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt.
• Mix together the mayonnaise and pesto in a small bowl until smooth. Smother the mayonnaise mixture all over the fish, getting into all the scores. Combine the sausage, garlic, mushrooms, green onions and yellow onions and stuff the mixture into the fish scores, flipping and stuffing into the other side as well. Top the fish with the second ti leaf, and then another piece of aluminum foil, tightly wrapping it all up to form a pouch.
• Grill the fish for 30 to 40 minutes. Carefully unwrap the foil and serve family-style, garnishing with the reserved green onions.

WHOLE GRILLED FISH WITH LIME

Steps:

• Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Score fish: Cut 1 slash lengthwise down to the bone, then crosswise in 2 places, spacing apart; repeat on other side. Season fish cavity and skin with salt; drizzle fish with 1/4 cup oil. Stuff some of the lime slices (reserve a few for garnish) and herb stems inside fish.
• Clean and oil grill grate well. Grill fish, resisting the urge to turn it, until skin is nicely crisp and charred and flesh is flaky and opaque down to the bone. (This can take 6-15 minutes, depending on size of fish. Don't mess around with it until it's ready.) Place a metal spatula underneath fish (a pair of metal tongs on top of fish also helps for support), then lift and gently roll over to the other side. Cook until flesh is flaky and opaque down to the bone, 6-15 minutes. Use a small knife to check for doneness; if it slides easily through the thickest part of flesh, fish is done. If not, finish cooking fish on grill or in a 450°F oven.
• Place fish on a serving platter; drizzle oil and lime juice over. Garnish with reserved lime slices, basil leaves, and cilantro.

THAI WHOLE GRILLED FISH WITH SWEET & SOUR GLAZE

Steps:

• Score each side of the fish with 3-4 small shallow cuts.
• Combine all marinade ingredients and marinate the fish for at least an hour or up to overnight.
• Prepare the glaze: Place the oil and garlic in a small saucepan, place on medium heat.
• Simmer until garlic begins to turn golden.
• Strain and let cool.
• In another small pot, combine sugar and vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer for one minute.
• Add fish sauce, ginger, bell pepper, chili paste, and 3 Tbsp of the garlic oil.
• Cook together for 3-5 minutes until sauce reduces slightly.
• Making sure your grill is clean and well-lubricated with plenty of vegetable oil (or using a specially designed fish grilling basket), grill fish over medium heat, approximately 7 minutes per side or until flesh is just opaque at the bone.
• Plate fish and spoon sauce over each fish.
• One small fish is a perfect entrée for one person, share larger fish between two people.
• Serves 4.