Go Fish.

I buy fish like this:

1. Open all three sales papers I get (one at a time)
2. Look for anything Wild Caught.
3. Go to the store with the cheapest Wild Caught fish.

Last week the cheapest Wild Caught fish (aside from Cod) was Seabass at Sprouts.  This was fortuitous because I prefer Sprouts eggs to Sunflower Market eggs - there's a reason Sunflower is cheaper - so I picked up a little over a pound and then froze it.  I purchased it on the weekend and I planned to cook it today (Friday).

Uh...
How do you cook Seabass?

I have no idea.  So I turned to Live Search while I was at work (the security guard lends me her computer sometimes) and I came up with this:

Marinated Grilled Seabass

6 pieces sea bass, thawed if frozen
Marinade:
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1-2 tsp. lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 T. small capers, rinsed
1 T. fresh garlic puree or garlic powder
2 T. dried shallots (or use dried onions or chopped fresh shallots)
1 T. dried parsley
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1-2 lemons sliced, for serving (optional)

Step 1: Mix marinade ingredients together. Put fish in single layer in ziploc bag, pour marinade over and marinate 2-3 hours in refrigerator. (Don\’t increase the marinating time much more than this or the lemon juice will start to \”cook\” the fish.)

Step 2: To cook, oil grill grates with olive oil, then preheat grill to medium high. Grill fish until firm to the touch and slightly browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Serve fish with sliced lemons

I only had two pieces of Seabass, but I used the full 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice...and that was about the only thing I measured really accurately.  I didn't have 1/2 cup olive oil, so I used what was left in the jar, I couldn't say how much that was.  I also couldn't tell you if I used the correct amount of garlic, and I certainly didn't puree it, I chopped it finely.  And I only zested one lemon, so who knows if that was the correct measurement.
Yeah, that's right, that's how I cook: like a lazy person.

It turns out this recipe is fantastic.
I popped the fillets on the grill after marinating (room temperature) for a little under two hours.  I kept them brushed with marinade the whole time (even the bottoms when I flipped them) and I have to say it was really freakin' tasty served with some wild rice.
It took longer than the 4-5 minutes a side, but the fillets were pretty thick, so that was probably why.

My grill is a wood burning grill (which explains why I failed so hard when I tried to use charcoal in it) so I filled it with old wood and I used maple seeds/pine cones/pine needles/tree bark as a starter - basically all the dead stuff from the front yard.  I have to recommend this over newspaper; it works worlds better and you don't have all the paper bits fluttering about while you're trying to grill.
And now you know I don't have a clue when it comes to grilling either.  I basically treat it like a raised camp fire.
Trial and error for the win!


I liked this recipe so much that I wanted to share it.  It really makes an excellent summer dinner although I didn't put any greens with it (we're low on veggies currently).
Try it out and see what you think!