Careening through the aisles of Costco in a carefully orchestrated path that circles around the wine bins and heads toward the fresh fish section, I quickly snatched up a length of fresh Sockeye salmon and was headed to the giant refrigerated produce room, when I spied a package of  three colorful, whole fish in an Asian lady’s cart. I screeched to a halt to ask her what kind of fish it was – she replied, “red snapper”; and I asked her how she prepared it and she stated, “steamed with just some soy sauce and ginger” and added that she uses the head for soup, and smiled knowingly.

I laughed because I knew why she was smiling. Most Americans are squeamish just seeing a whole fish with the eyes staring back at them, have to make the obligatory “ewww” and “gross” exclamations, and wouldn’t even consider having a whole fish presented to them on a plate, much less eat the head or the eyeballs. Being half Asian, I know that Asians (and other cultures, too) do not let any part of a fish go to waste. The nice lady pointed to where the fish was in the case and said there was just one package left – I raced over and grabbed it. The eyes were clear, the gills bright red  and the skin shiny  -  indicators of a good, fresh fish.

Personally, I think a whole fish, beautifully prepared and surrounded by fresh herbs and a fragrant sauce, makes for a striking presentation. Years ago, one of our favorite places to dine was Five Feet in Laguna Beach – and their signature whole catfish was the main reason.

On this day, I decided to grill the fish rather than steam it – mainly because I didn’t have a pan large enough, but also because grilling ensures that your whole house won’t smell like fish! A grill basket comes in handy, but isn’t necessary – before grilling use a paper towel, or your hands, to spread oil on the fish to prevent it from sticking.

Grilled Whole Fish with Soy Ginger Sauce

1 whole red snapper per person (cleaned and scaled)

1 bunch of green onions, washed and sliced into 1½ pieces

Heat the grill to medium-high.

Oil the outside of the fish with sesame oil and stuff fresh cilantro and sliced lime inside the fish cavity. Other herbs and lemon can easily be substituted.

For the sauce:

1/3 cup of soy sauce (I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar

You could also add minced garlic and a teaspoon or so of chili sauce.

Place the fish on a rimless cookie sheet and slide onto the grill. Grill with lid closed for 6-8 minutes, depending on thickness. Flip and grill on the second side until the flesh is opaque (white) and flakes easily, another 6-8 minutes. Remove the fish from the grill using a fish spatula and slide onto the cookie sheet.

Enjoy

The head was removed in the final shot to protect the innocent and the squeamish.

If you happen to have a fisherman in your house, or buy fresh fish that hasn’t been cleaned or scaled, visit Jaden at Steamy Kitchen for tips – she’s a fabulous cook,  the author of the Steamy Kitchen cookbook, and has a funny, irreverent style.

Cooking is not something that comes naturally – it’s a skill that’s developed over time just like anything else. Once you familiarize yourself with the tools of the trade and feel comfortable in a kitchen you’re more able to “throw” a satisfying and delicious meal together with what you have on hand.

Over the years I’ve actually set cooking goals for myself such as becoming a grilling expert so I didn’t have to rely on my husband to do it or finding and developing more creative ways to cook fish. I’ve posted several fish recipes that are part of my growing repertoire of fish preparations – here’s another quick and easy one that I hope you’ll enjoy.

Ahi tuna, also known as yellow fin or big eye tuna, is a meaty fish best served rare to medium-rare like a premium beef steak. Even though a well-done ahi steak is about as unappetizing to me as a well-done beef steak to beef lovers, there are people who prefer them cooked through.

Grilled Tuna with Ginger-Lime Sauce

Sauce Ingredients:

Juice of 2 limes

2 teaspoons grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, grated

¼ c. low-sodium soy sauce

¼ c. extra-vigin olive oil

¼ t. agave nectar, stevia, or sugar*

handful of fresh basil, finely chopped

Kosher or sea salt and pepper

1. 5 pounds ahi tuna, cut into 4 – 1″ thick pieces

Whisk all the sauce ingredients together, add kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste.

*I used the juice of a “Cutie” mandarin orange instead of one of the sweeteners listed. Also, cilantro can be substituted for basil if you’re a cilantro lover!

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat or you can use a indoor grill pan preheated over med-high heat.

Season tuna generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Brush with olive oil (mixed with a bit of cayenne or Japanese togarashi spice if you like a little heat ). Place on the hot grill and sear for 2 minutes on each side for medium rare.

Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

Enjoy

Notes: I’ve  been very conscious about buying only sustainable fish. If you’re confused by this term, here’s a good source that contains a list and explains what sustainable means. Also, for many years I’ve substituted Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (pictured above) for soy sauce.

I’ve been posting a lot of fish recipes lately because we’re trying to eat less red meat and this weekend was no exception, especially since The Don returned from a very successful show in Fort Worth, TX where beef rules (just ask Oprah). Fort Worth’s visitors bureau boasts “Cowboys and Culture: an unmistakable mix of preserved Western heritage and unrivaled artistic offerings” and has the only twice-daily cattle drive and a rodeo every night.

So, when in Rome…, he enjoyed the succulent steaks at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House where they serve up prime aged, corn fed beef straight from the Midwest and the most tender BBQ brisket he’s ever had at a place called Riscky’s BBQ, part of Riscky family of restaurants which began in the heart of the stockyards and where ranchers, cattlemen & cowboys have been eating since the 1920’s.

He is now on a double dose of Lipitor *kidding* and welcomed a fragrantly-spiced, grilled swordfish steak.  I adapted this recipe from one found in Cooking Light.  Cumin, cinnamon, and ginger are common spices in Morrocan cuisine, so I have dubbed this delicious dish:

Moroccan Swordfish

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon, fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoon, grated orange rind, divided use

2 teaspoons, extra virgin olive oil, divided use

2- 8 ounce swordfish steaks*, about 1-inch thick

Sauce:

½ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon honey

Combine first six ingredients in a bowl. Rub spice mixture over both sides of swordfish. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining the orange juice, remaining teaspoon of the orange rind and olive oil, walnuts, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Set aside; keep warm.

Heat grill on high. Lower heat to medium-high, grill fish until it flakes easily, about 5 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook or the swordfish will be tough and dry. It’s always better to undercook fish – it continues to cook after being removed from the grill.

Drizzle with sauce. Serve with couscous – if you never prepared couscous, you’ll wonder why; it’s so easy and only takes 10 minutes (5 minutes to boil the water and 5 minutes for the couscous to cook). Trader Joe’s carries regular, wheat, and Israeli couscous (pictured).

Serves 2.

Enjoy

*I’ve also been very conscious about buying only sustainable fish. If you’re confused by this term, here’s a good source that contains a list and explains what sustainable means.

This dish was a “No Recipe” creation. Like a lot of the things I cook,  I take inventory of the refrigerator and pantry contents, picture the end result, and use my taste memory to settle on flavors that complement each other.  This takes some experience in cooking – it’s like anything else, the more you do it the better you get and, of course, you have to go grocery shopping to have the raw materials in your fridge and pantry

So here’s my concoction – I’m calling it Halibut with Heirloom Tomatoes. Those are the two ingredients that I bought – the other ingredients were in my fridge.

Halibut with Heirloom Tomatoes

2-8 ounce halibut fillets

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 ounces yellow teardrop heirloom tomatoes

8-10 pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

prepared bruschetta sauce*

¼ c. chopped Italian parsley

Preheat grill on high. Brush halibut with olive oil. Lower heat to med-high. Grill the halibut about 4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes into the oil, add the tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute, add the garlic and olives and cook for about 2 minutes until tomatoes are softened. Set aside.

Spoon tomato/kalamata olive sauce onto the plates, top with the halibut, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately. Quick, easy, and delicious!

Enjoy

*I had some Trader Joes’s bruschetta sauce and spooned a little on top of the halibut for more color. Added color and texture is always good. You could use pico de gallo or fresh salsa, too.

Recently, I posted a recipe for Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya in honor of New Orleans and Fat Tuesday.  What exactly  is Fat Tuesday all about?

Roman Catholics around the world celebrate Carnival, which comes from the Latin phrase “the removal of meat”,  and is the three day period preceding the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday.  The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is Shrove Tuesday and is more popularly known by the French term Mardi Gras, meaning “Fat Tuesday”, because it is the last day of excess before the fasting traditions of Lent.

Lent has traditionally been marked by penitential prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Some churches today still observe a rigid schedule of fasting on certain days during Lent, especially the giving up of meat, alcohol, sweets, and other types of food. Other traditions do not place as great an emphasis on fasting, but focus on charitable deeds, especially helping those in physical need with food and clothing, or giving money to charities. Read more about the season of Lent here.  Fish on Friday became a tradition because those of  Catholic faith abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent. Exceptions to the rules of abstinence are made (by the bishop) – especially, if  St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday - for real

So here’s to Fish on Friday, or any day of the week.  This fish preparation is embarrassingly easy, no-recipe delicious – I think we can all appreciate that!

Halibut with Lemon and Capers

2 fresh halibut steaks, 8 oz. each

prepared seafood spice rub

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon capers

Serves 2

Preheat broiler.

Brush halibut with canola oil, sprinkle with spice mix such as lemon pepper or Lawry’s Seafood Rub, broil for 5-8 minutes (depending on thickness) until fish is opaque. Melt the butter, add lemon juice and teaspoon of capers. Drizzle fillets with a little lemon butter sauce half way through to produce wonderfully moist fish with a golden brown crust. Spoon remaining lemon caper sauce over fish and serve immediately.

Shown here with roasted fresh asparagus.

Enjoy