Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Grilled Fish for Dinner—A Healthful Alternative to Red Meat…and Tasty Too!


Okay, I’ve posted a lot of recipes for grilled steaks lately. However, we all know, when it comes to red meat, you can have “too much of a good thing.” It’s not good for our cholesterol levels, and it can also add up to a lot of extra calories…and pounds! So every now and then, we have company over for a grilled fish dinner…just for a change of pace.

Actually, my husband and sons had some very successful fishing trips earlier in the summer, and we have quite a bit fish frozen in the freezer right now. We’ve been serving that fish to guests, and it really hits the spot. Actually I think it’s scrumptious! And it’s a way to get some extra omega 3s too!

Today I’m posting three of my favorite grilled fish recipes, each for a different type of fish. These are recipes we’ve collected from fishing friends, and “tweaked” a bit. All of these fish dishes have gotten good reviews from our guests. A couple people have told us they weren’t normally “in” to grilled fish, but they liked the fish we served them. Many people have told us they appreciate being able to go to dinner at someone’s house, and not feel guilty afterwards about what they ate. (Admittedly, I don’t get told that very often. After all, look at the dessert and pasta recipes I’ve posted on this blog! But when I know people are trying to watch their weight or avoid red meat, it inspires me to serve “be good” and serve healthy dishes to them when we have them over.)

Here are the recipes:

ROSEMARY-LEMON TROUT WITH VEGETABLES

1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 large zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices
1 large yellow neck squash, cut into 1/2 –inch slices
4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 cup oil and vinegar salad dressing
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
8 (8 oz.) butterflied trout
4 T. lemon juice
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Coat grill with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium-high (375 to 400 degrees F). Place eggplant, zucchini, yellow neck squash and tomato pieces in a bowl. Pour oil and vinegar salad dressing on top. Add salt and pepper. Stir so that all of the vegetables are coated. Put vegetables on grill. Cook about 4-5 minutes, or until tender and slightly charred. Return to bowl. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside.

Drizzle each trout with about 1 ½ tsp. of the lemon juice and 1 ½ tsp. of the olive oil. Mix rosemary, salt and pepper together, and either sprinkle or “rub” on the fish. Place trout on grill, skin side up. Grill 3-4 minutes on each side, or until fish easily flakes with fork. Remove from grill and serve with vegetables.

COGNAC-MARINATED BASS

2 lbs. bass fillets
½ cup oil
½ cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup cognac
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. minced garlic

To make marinade, combine oil, sesame seeds, cognac, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt and garlic in a small bowl. Put fish in a large ziplock bag and pour in marinade. Let fish marinate for 30 to 60 minutes, turning once. When ready to grill, remove fish, reserving sauce for basting. Place fish in a greased grill. Cook in medium high heat (375 to 400 degrees) for 10 minutes. Baste with marinade. Turn fish over, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes longer.

GRILLED TILAPIA WITH BELL PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Citrus marinade:
½ cup lime juice (preferably fresh squeezed)
3 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. whole grain mustard

8 (6 oz.) tilapia fillets
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 large orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 large red onion, cut into ¼-inch slices.
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped finely

First, make citrus marinade by blending those six ingredients together. Then, drizzle half of this marinade on fish fillets, turning to coat. Let stand 20 minutes.

Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium (325 to 350 degrees F). Place peppers and onions in grill basket. Grill 8 to 10 minutes, turning every couple minutes until softened. Drizzle with the rest of the citrus marinade, and toss to coat. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside.

Remove fillets from marinade, and place them on grill. Grill 6-8 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from grill. Serve with grilled bell peppers and onions.


I hope you like these recipes! Each makes enough for about 8 servings. If you make one of these dishes and like it, please post a note and let me know.

Happy grilling!
~Becky

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