Fish On The Grill? Fabulous! (NAPSA)—America loves to grill outdoors. Over four billion cookouts are held annually, and these days we welcome a broader menu of grilled foods beyond the traditional steak, burgers and chicken. Seafood is especially wonderful cooked on the grill, as more and more Americansare finding out. Seafood is naturally low fat, low calorie, high in flavor and rich in omega-3 oils—the kind that are good for your heart. Timid aboutgrilling fish? Don’t be. Just about any kind of seafood can be grilled successfully, but sometypes are truly fabulous. In general, firm-fleshed steak oiled grill, so the fish doesn’t stick to it. Buy or thaw your fish the day you are planning to cook it. Keep it cold until ready to go on the grill. Now for the fun part. There are many wonderful ways to prepare fish for the grill. Most experts recommendgrilling fish simply, with just an herb-infused olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Marinatingthefish in the fridge for about an hour (shellfish and thinnerfillets need only about 30 minutes) before grilling adds flavor and keeps the fish moist during cooking. fish, such as tuna, swordfish, mar- lin and halibut, are happiest on the grill. They can be cooked directly on the grill over medium high or high heat. Using a wide spatula or tongs, turn only once during cooking. Whole fish, such as snapperor salmon, are best suited to a hinged wire grill basket, which makes turning them over very easy. When grilling whole fish, make a few diagonalslices in the side of each fish down to the bone. This helps the fish cook more quickly and evenly. Even tenderfillets of sole or haddock can begrilled using a fish basketorfish grate. Oysters, mussels and clams should be placed directly on the hottest part of the grill; they’re done when the shell opens. Discard any that don’t open after about five minutes ofgrilling. Fresh Fish And A Clean Grill Always start with very fresh fish and an impeccably clean, Or try a dry rub of salt, pepper and herbs. How to tell when it’s done? A good rule of thumbis to grill the fish ten minutes per inch, measured at the thickest part. This may not soundlike a long time, but delicate fish continues to cook even when removed from the heat, so check it for doneness a few minutes before the estimated cooking time is up. If the flesh is opaque, it’s done. Put your delicious seafood on a clean platter with your favorite garnish and present it with a flourish. Provengal Grilled Tuna Salad Seafood Alternative: halibut, swordfish or shark 4 (5 to 6 oz.) tuna steaks, % to 1-inch thick 3 tbsp. white wine or broth 3 tbsp.oliveoil 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar \% teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or '4 teaspoon dried '% teaspoon black pepper \ teaspoonsalt 1 clove garlic, minced 6 cups packedtorn salad greens 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes vegetable cooking spray Measure thickness of fish to determine cooking time; place in a glass dish. To make vinaigrette, combine wine and next 5 ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well. Pour 2 tablespoons overfish, add garlic and turn to coat. Marinate 15 to 30 minutes, turning once. Reserve remaining vinaigrette for salad dressing. Coat grill rack with cooking spray and place on grill to heat 1 minute. Place tuna on grill 4 to 6 inches over hot coals. Cover with lid or tent with foil. Cook, turning once, just until tuna begins to flake easily when tested with a fork, about 7 minutes. Discard marinade. Meanwhile, arrange salad greens on 4 plates. Place hot tuna on greens and add cherry tomatoes. Shake remaining vinaigrette and drizzle over salads. Makes 4 servings.
