One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.... Grilled Red Snapper & Grilled Sardines

It's Wednesday and the grill is calling me.  What shall I make today?  Pork or beef tenderloin?  No, maybe today is a day for lamb chops?  Maybe even grilled tofu?  This is a conversation that happens in offices and at homes every week and in some cases each day.  So I have decided that in my kitchen Wednesdays are for fish.  This is an easy way to take the guess work out of menu planning for the week.  To break up the monotony I go to my local fish monger and ask two pertinent questions.  1) What's fresh today?  2) What's on sale or reasonably priced?  These two questions are almost always followed with an informed and honest answer from your purveyor.

As the title alludes this post is all about fish...  From Branzino, Red Snapper, Sardines, Bluefish, Amberjack and Mackerel, the list of fish ready for the grill is extensive.  While I love a juicy steak grilled to perfection, there is nothing that compares to the succulence of a fish fresh off the grill.

Marinated Snapper, Sardines  & Perserved Lemon Salt

Today I will be preparing two types of fish.  Lemon-Salt Dusted Sardines on Wilted Arugula as a first course.  The main course will be Grilled Red Snapper stuffed with Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and Tarragon served with a Preserved Lemon Israeli Couscous Salad. Two Fish Red Fish!!!!

Grilled Sardines

Sardines are relatively inexpensive and packed with flavor when cooked properly. I have accounted for two each per person.  To start take the juice of three lemons, olive oil (1/4 cup), garlic (2 Tbls) and course kosher salt (2 pinches).  Combine and pour over sardines.  Allow to marinate for 35-40 minutes.  Zest lemon (1/8 cup), lemon juice (a few drops) and add to salt (1/4 Cup).  Place in a baking pan and allow to cook dry in the oven for 5 minutes at 300 degrees. Take out and allow to cool.  Grill Sardines for 7-9 minutes per side and be sure to resist the temptation to move the fish around while cooking.  Dust with salt mixture while on the grill.  Place sardines directly on the arugula as the heat from this fish will allow the arugula to wilt naturally.

Red Snapper is a meaty and quite tasty, naturally, so there's not much marinating to do.  My suggestion is to buy the fish scaled and gutted with the head on.  Take the fish and brush with olive oil and take a clove of garlic to rub on the outside of the fish.  Stuff the cavity with all of the herbs and ten cloves of garlic.  Sprinkle liberally with the salt mixture and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator.  Take 6 Roma tomatoes, cut in quarters length wise and set aside for plating later.
Grill on one side for 9-12 minutes and carefully flip on to a foiled part of the grill to allow to cook for another 10 minutes (depending on the size of the fish) with the grill closed. This step also helps to keep a nice "presentation side" of the fish for eye appeal when serving your guests.  Allow to rest for 3 minutes.

Israel Couscous is easy to make, boil salted water and cook as if it were pasta. Lemons can be preserved but take a full month to do so, my suggestion is to go to the international foods section in your grocery store and purchase for this dish.  Add diced red onion (1/8 cup), toasted pine nuts (1/8 cup), dried cranberries (1/8 cup), and finely diced preserved lemons (1/16 cup).  Add lemon juice (2 tsp), olive oil (1/8 cup),  garlic (1 tsp) and white balsamic vinegar (1 tsp).  Combine and serve hot, cold or room temperature.

This is a whole fish and will be served family style on an oversized platter with Grilled Radicchio and Roma Tomatoes.  The Couscous will be served in a bowl in the same fashion.  Enjoy with the beverage of your choice and thank you for your time.

Grilled Red Snapper

Snapper Platter

Preserved Lemon Couscous