(NAPSA)—Looking for some- thing different on your grill? Think fresh fish and seafood in addition to the mainstays of chicken, steak, hamburger and pork. Red Lobster Executive Chef Keith Keogh, whose experience includes The California Culinary Academy and Disney’s Epcot, offers these suggestions for cooking seafood on thegrill: Preparation: Makesurethegrill is clean. Before it’s on, add a light coat of oil or nonstick cooking spray so the fish does not stick to thegrill. If youre going to use a marinade, soak the fish for two hours beforehand to infuse it with the flavor. Be careful: a marinade heavy with sugar can cause the fish to stick to the grill as the sugar caramelizes. Before putting on the grill, drain off excess sauce andpatdry. While cooking, baste the fish with your favorite marinade or sauce for a deep-rich glaze, but don’t use what the fish was soaking in. This can contain bacteria. Instead, set aside some extra marinadeor saucefor later. You can also brush thefish with a light coat of olive oil and then add seasonings. Try black pepper, kosher salt and a touch of lime juice. For more flavors, add groundcelery seed, crushed capers, garlic, marjoram and thyme. Cooking: Make sure thegrill is hot. If it’s lukewarm, the fish may stick. Put the fish with the bone or uneven side down first (if you put the flat side down first, the fish may crack when you turn it). If grilling more than onepiece, leave Fresh seafoodis great grilled. enough space for air and heat to circulate. * The fish should sizzle when put on the grill. It cooks fast, so keep an eye on it. Cook until it’s about 60 percent done, and then use a wide spatula to turn over each fillet. Remove from thegrill when it’s medium rare because the fish will continue to cook asit sits. For shrimp, place on a skewer one on top of the other. Watch them closely, because they will cook quickly. For scallops, place on a skewer so theflat side is up. This lets them pick up more flavors from thegrill. Shellfish, such as oysters, mussels and clams, cook even faster than fish. To prepare them, put them on the hottest part of the grill, and they’re done when the shell opens up. Red Lobster’s Keogh recommends several wines, such as an oaky Chardonnayor a light Pinot Noir, as an especially good pairing for grilled seafood. If you’re adding a lot of spices to yourfish, a lighter, sweeter Riesling provides a good match.
