Finding a great source for perfectly fresh fish and seafood is the grill cook’s greatest challenge. Once you’ve located a reliable source, rely upon them to guide you to other types of fish and seafood you can try.
Almost any fish can be successfully prepared on the grill, as long as you take the proper steps to protect it from sticking or tearing. Most recipes call for one or more of the following steps:
→ Marinate the fish with an acid like lemon or lime juice, wine, or vinegar; it helps to firm the flesh a little before the fish goes on the grill.
→ Oil the fish liberally.
→ Leave the skin on if possible; you can always remove it before eating, but some fish have a delicious skin that gets crisp and crunchy as it grills.
→ Use a hand rack to hold the fish; as long as you’ve oiled the rack well, the fish will be easier to handle. Hand racks are hinged so that they can close around the fish. They are perfect for delicate or lean fish.
Seafood 101
A fish can have a firm, meaty texture or a delicate, flaky one. Its flavor can be mild or robust; often, the fattier the fish, the more pronounced its flavor. The way fish swim, the water they swim in, and their diets all influence the flavor and texture of their flesh. Being familiar with these distinctions is useful when you want to substitute one type of fish for another in a recipe or want to find a recipe for a type of fish that is new to you.
Finfish have gills and fins. They live in oceans, ponds, rivers, and streams. Some species live in saltwater, others in fresh water. Round fish varieties include trout, bass, snapper, tuna, and salmon. The most popular flatfish varieties include flounder, sole, halibut, and turbot. Sharks, skate, monkfish, and ray are cartilaginous fish, meaning they have cartilage instead of bones.
Clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops are all bivalve mollusks, shellfish with two shells joined by a hinge. Clam and oyster varieties often carry the name of the area where they are harvested. Mussel types include standard (or horse) mussels, pen shell, and New Zealand green lipped. The two main types of scallops are sea scallops and bay scallops.
Lobsters, crabs, crayfish, shrimp, and prawns are all crustaceans. They have jointed exterior skeletons or shells. There are both salt- and freshwater crustaceans. The texture of their flesh is affected by the temperature of the water where they are harvested. Squid, octopus, and cuttlefish belong to a group of shellfish known as cephalopods. Instead of an exterior shell or skeleton, they have an interior shell called a quill.
Today, many varieties of seafood, including catfish, trout, salmon, mussels, and oysters, are farm-raised. Fish raised on farms are usually of consistent size and quality, although their flavor may be less pronounced than that of “wild” varieties.
